The Legends of Link, Part One: The Cursed War
by Shiniki Wyrd
Summary: [Novel Fanfiction, FINISHED!] The hero answers the plea of a country under siege, and ends up becoming involved in more than he bargained for.
1. The Shipmate's Pub

Foreword  
  
There are a lot of things to know before hand when reading this fiction, though a lot of names and figures will be explained as the story progresses. It does get a bit confusing with all these legends that pop up here and there like gophers. _; Trust me, the names are just pets that begged to be let of out their cages, and all can be pronounced any way you see fit. Or, if you're really picky about these things, you can always e- mail me for the phonetics.  
  
I tried to stay true to the whole "legend" aspect of the deal, and tell the story in a less humorous, more serious manner, just because I am not that funny (on "paper," anyway). I hope this will give serious Zelda readers some brain candy (and hopefully not aneurysms).  
  
Anyway, the usual copyrights follows: I don't own Link, if I did, I'd be rich and I'm not. He's copyrighted Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto (Pikmin!). But the rest of the stuff that obviously isn't Zelda-related (my characters, places, lands, et al) are copyrighted me, so I'd like to know if you're going to use them. Frankly, I'd be flattered. ^^  
  
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1.1 [Prologue]  
  
1.1.1.1 A LONG TIME AGO...  
  
Before life began, before the world had form, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land of Hyrule. They were Din, the goddess of Power, Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the goddess of Courage.  
  
Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom on top the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul, created all life forms who would uphold the law.  
  
These three great goddesses returned to the heavens, leaving behind the golden sacred Triforce. Since then, the Triforce has become the basis for Hyrule's providence, where the Triforce stood became sacred land.  
  
In the vast deep forest of Hyrule, the Great Deku Tree served as the guardian spirit. The children of the forest, the Kokiri, lived with the Great Deku Tree. Each Kokiri had his or her own guardian fairy, except one. His name was Link.  
  
Early one morning, Link was having a nightmare. It was the same nightmare he had every night. During a storm, Link would find himself standing in front of a mysterious castle. A rider on horseback, carrying a girl would race by. The girl would look at Link as if to say something. Then, another rider would appear. This big man clad in black would look down menacingly at Link. Link would then awaken.  
  
"Link! Hey, get up, Link! The Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you!"  
  
As Link opened his eyes, he saw a fairy floating in front of him. This fairy's name was Navi. Navi was sent to summon Link to the Great Deku Tree.  
  
"Oh Navi, thou hast returned!" said the Deku Tree. "Thank you, Link, for coming. Thy slumber these past moons must have been restless, and full of nightmares. A vile climate pervades this world. Verily, ye had felt it. The time has come to test thine courage. I have been cursed. I need you to dispel the curse with your wisdom and courage. Art thou prepared?"  
  
Link entered the Great Deku Tree and broke the curse.  
  
"Well done, Link! I knew that ye were worthy of carrying out my wishes. A wicked man of the desert cast this dreadful curse on me. Employing his vile, sorcerous energies, the Evil One is searching for the Sacred Realm connected to Hyrule. For it is there that one will find the Divine Relic, the Triforce, that contains the essence of the gods. Whoever holds the Triforce can make their wishes come true. Thou must never allow the desert man to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce. Thou must never suffer that man to enter the Sacred Realm of legend. Link, go now to Hyrule Castle. There, ye will surely meet the Princess of Destiny. Present this stone to the princess. I have foreseen that she will understand everything."  
  
The Great Deku Tree gave Link the Spiritual Stone of the Forest. Before dying, the Deku Tree's last words were, "The future depends upon thee, Link. Thou art courageous."  
  
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1.2 Introduction  
  
The legend of the Hero of Time unfolded. Link did succeed in protecting Hyrule from the desert man clad in black, Ganondorf, but the road was perilous and often lonely.  
  
After the Final Battle against the great beast known as GANON, Link had finally liberated Hyrule from a seven-year reign of terror. Princess Zelda tried to give Link back the seven years he had lost, but unfortunately could not somehow, even with the songs and power of the Ocarina of Time.  
  
The Time of Restoration came upon Hyrule and the people returned to their homeland. The castle and surrounding city was rebuilt over a period of two years and finally the scarred remains of Ganondorf's rule faded from the now peaceful nation.  
  
Unfortunately, the peace did not hold long. An island country, Tophet, attacked with a swiftness that was greatly destructive, and the story now commences in a small fishing harbor called Mellifluous Bay, also Hyrule's main seaport, where our hero Link is awaiting orders to strike back from the general...  
  
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Part One: The Cursed War  
  
1.2.1 Chapter One  
  
The ancient sun was beginning the journey back to the sea as Link scouted the horizon for possible signs of General Khegen's squire.  
  
"Any sign?" A young soldier asked. The Hero of Time, now nineteen years of age and three years the other's senior, shook his head.  
  
"No, only the clouds of dust as a farmer drives his cattle. It has been two days! If we hesitate now, we may lose the war."  
  
"Hyrule has elite soldiers and the best of offensive and defensive technology," the younger soldier cited from memory. "How could we lose?"  
  
"It is strategy that can topple the scale. Mayhap we do have the best soldiers, but if we do not plan strategically or receive certain orders in time, we may find ourselves in tight positions.  
  
"Mellifluous Bay is a key target for the warriors of Tophet; if they succeeded in capturing this town, then they will control all oversea supplies to Hyrule and our allies. If that happens..." Link's voice trailed off ominously and he sat in thoughtful silence. Normally he was not given to much conversation, but today he felt especially antsy.  
  
"Let us go and see if the bar has available seats," suggested the soldier, whose name was Jeremy. Link remained silent for a moment longer, then gigged his horse and followed his friend to the town's bar, The Shipmate's Pub.  
  
  
  
The air was smoky, filled with the reek of eye-watering beer and whiskey, and tinged with the humidity of too many people talking. Link blinked as the corners of his eyes stung, but followed Jeremy to a place at the bar. They both hopped onto two stools and waited to be tended.  
  
The young man Link was sitting next to was talking loudly but amiably to a tougher, older sailor on his other side. The Hero of Time couldn't help but overhear as their conversation continued.  
  
"Of course, John me matey, me father always did say that sailing at night during a storm was a fool's idea of adventure, but upon his word, I'll warrant that Old Leatherface was a good and righteous fool in his time." The accent of the younger was not as strong as the others but definitely pronounced.  
  
"Aye, and sure'n he'll want ter see what ye've bought this time, eh laddie buck?" The elder's voice was coarse and tough, like his battered face, but his tone was friendly.  
  
"Help you?" The bartender said, glancing mildly at Link and Jeremy.  
  
"Two beers," Jeremy replied before the nineteen-year-old could cut in. The barkeep assessed them with his cool, mild eyes and then walked off to get his order.  
  
'He thinks we're too young,' Link thought to himself as his gaze traveled around the room. The usual type; burly sailors drinking tall mugs of frothy beer as they shouted, cursed, and generally made mayhem, the hard working lumbermen gulping down their whiskey and muttering in low voices, the softer folk looking around nervously as they drank the cider, whispered, and left. Link's mind wandered pleasantly as he and Jeremy waited, but not so far that he couldn't keep a tab on the pair's conversation.  
  
"Aye, Johnny, and this time he shan't be displeased. I've gone to the land of milk and honey, sure and bye, and of course I were gonna bring him back a rare bauble indeed."  
  
'The sea dialects are commonly misunderstood and often confused with the dialects of the Northern Baronies of Callembah,' the Hero of Time recalled from several lectures by General Khegen.  
  
" 'A rare bauble indeed.' What fancy talk be that, Lanceton, you young snipe of a fool?" The man named John asked, this time a bit dryly.  
  
"I've managed to wipe the dust of Selinta from me boots but nary the accent from me tongue," replied Lanceton cheerfully.  
  
"Aye, and methinks I can't decide which of youse is a bigger fool, yer father or yerself." This remark incited a hearty laugh from the younger, and Lanceton took a healthy gulp of his drink.  
  
"Aye, I do agree with yer there, matey, but 'tis not for ye to decide, I'll warrant. Me father would think me more the fool, and I would think him the bigger un. All's the same, I suppose, and me mother, gods rest her beloved soul, would say the world hadn't ever seen a finer pair of fools in all the lands and beyond."  
  
"This 'rare bauble' ye speak of... what be it?"  
  
"Oh, aye, John, 'tis a rare beauty. I brought back a picture of the fair princess, there, so I did, and a letter thanking me very own father for the speed in which he delivered the food they so badly needed."  
  
'That's right, Selinta was undergoing a severe famine,' Link remembered, accepting his drink as the bartender set them down.  
  
"This is strong drink, Link," Jeremy murmured, then smiled at the small rhyme he had made. "I'll take care of the tab."  
  
"A picture, what a fancy! I've heard naught but great things of her beauty! Does ee have it?"  
  
'None could match that of Princess Zelda,' Link thought somewhat proudly. And to think, the Princess fancied him for her husband and King of Hyrule. Well... perhaps when he had decided to settle himself a bit. His heart and soul still longed for great adventures. Perhaps it was in his blood, which was as mysterious to him as 'twas to everyone else.  
  
"Aye, I do, John," Lanceton replied, smiling gently as he reached into his pocket and retrieved a small folded square of paper. "The drawer of such a picture was far too kind in his heart to have given this to me, I'll warrant, and 'tis a fine drawing indeed!" He handed it to John, who unfolded it and studied the sketch.  
  
"My, what a sight for old eyes as mine, eh?" The elder chuckled amicably to himself. "So 'tis a fine picture, Lance me young bucko, and methinks if'n I were ye, I would keep this un close to me heart, so I would!"  
  
"I do, 'tis a fair face she has, but many's the suitor who do ask for her hand to be their queen, and I wouldn't stand so much as a butterfly's chance in a windstorm. She bears easy on the eyes, I do admit." Lance retrieved the sketch from John's hands and set it on the bartop. Link couldn't resist a quick glance at the drawing, and he nearly gaped with amazement.  
  
It was a full body sketch, stretching from the top of the parchment to the bottom, and it depicted the Princess of Selinta in all her majestic beauty.  
  
Her hair fell to her waist in a gentle veil. Her profile was sideways, but the tilt of her head suggested a flirtatious disposition. Her body was slender and shapely, and clearly the artist was too talented; the shapes beneath the dress she wore were tantalizing. In her hand was a bouquet of flowers, roses no doubt. Link's heart leapt in his chest and he concentrated on finishing his beer.  
  
"What a girl, eh?" Lance commented, and at first Link thought he was saying this to John, but when he set his drink down he realized Lance had been aware of Link's eavesdropping the entire time. "The kind of woman who could set yer body on fire and blind ye in both eyes and ye'd still love her."  
  
"I guess," he said with some uncertainty. Link didn't think he'd still be in love with her if she did that to him, but he understood the meaning of it.  
  
"Where do ye hail from?" Lance inquired curiously. "Ye dunnaught have the accent of a sailor, aye, and the look of a lumberman, and ye surely cannot be from around here."  
  
"Hyrule," Link replied abruptly, the alcohol from the beer hazing his perception slightly but not entirely unpleasantly.  
  
"Hyrule!" Lance's eyes widened with considerable amazement, as if he could not believe this young soldier was a citizen of that fine land. Hyrule! Such majestic wonder the name instilled in his heart. He had been to many lands with his father and some without, but Hyrule, he had never been to Hyrule... Mellifluous Bay and its immediate surroundings were considered neutral territory.  
  
"Aye," Link responded, and then smiled. The sea dialects caught on swiftly. Lance returned the smile, not noticing John getting up and exiting the pub.  
  
"Would ye think of me badly to ask for your name on the first date?" Lance asked, and Link blinked with some surprise before realizing the other was making a joke.  
  
"No," he laughed. Jeremy looked at him with dull wonder, then ordered another beer. "My name is Link, and this is my-"  
  
"Link indeed!" Lance's dark blue eyes were wide with shock and almost fearful reverence. The conversations of the bar halted, as though cut off with a knife, and remained silent for a moment before returning to full volume. "I should say! Upon my warrant, I never thought I'd live to see the day!" The accent had faded from Lance's voice, and Link realized Lance had been talking such a way to fit in with the crowd.  
  
'Who are you?' Link thought, and then the question flitted from his mind.  
  
"If I didn't ask, I wouldn't've known, and bye and bye 'tis the Hero of Time hisself I'm a'talkin' to!" Lance ran a hand through his somewhat long dark blue hair. Blue hair, especially dark, was quite rare with sailors, whose hair usually was black or a vivid pale blonde, and more uncommonly shades of light blue. Link again wondered who this cheerful fellow was. "Shake with me, hero, so that I may have summat to brag about, eh?" Link took the proffered hand and pumped it three times. Lance's winsome face broke into a wider smile. "Thankee, hero, and I might be on my way. P'raps ye and yon Guzzler of Beer would join me, eh? Me father would be most appreciative if ye were to meet him, aye, so he would be."  
  
  
  
The three young men exited the pub and headed towards the docks. Jeremy blinked and looked up at the sky with blurred eyes.  
  
"It do look pretty, don't it?" He whispered, keeping his gaze fixed on the millions of stars in the inky black sky. "Makes a man feel small in the larger way of things, hmm?" Link nodded silently but did not offer any other reply. Lance led them down the wooden wharf towards the largest ship docked in Mellifluous Bay.  
  
Even from twenty yards away Link could hear the sounds of jovial drinking taking place aboard the great ship.  
  
"Welcome to the finest ship ever likely to set sail 'pon these great waters of Firth!" Lance stated, throwing his arms to emphasize his claim. "Welcome aboard the Good Ship Miya' Tana!" 


	2. Betrayal

I've been told the bar scene is a bit confusing. It must look much better in Micro$oft Word format. ~_~  
  
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When they entered, an immediate and surprising reticence fell over the ship's crew. Every single member eyed the newcomers warily. One, at least half a foot taller than the rest, stepped forward.  
  
From his head to the toes of his boots he was every inch the obvious captain of the ship. His shoulders were wide and powerfully set; his brow was thick and hung over his eyes, which peeped out from under the scraggly cliffs of his eyebrows. His arms were bare and sinewy with muscle and tendon. When he walked one could actually feel the ship rocking back and forth.  
  
Link's own heart momentarily quailed in his chest; such a great size for a man! Then he remembered Ganondorf had been much the same, and his fear dissipated.  
  
"Shan'tellana, Lance, e mena ta suyoi ger fada?" He spoke in a thick, almost unrecognizable accent, and at first Link couldn't place it, but then realized it was a rough, coarse variation of the Liopé accent. How odd, to hear this gruff man speak the Kreyan language with an interesting Liopé accent. How very odd indeed.  
  
"Ger fada e miano, K'fef, anoti de esu Link, miy anoti de esu Jeremy." Lance turned to face the other two. Link had already conquered his awe of Lance's father; Jeremy, on the other hand, was still in wonder of his size. The captain smiled crookedly.  
  
"Link, Jeremy, anoti de esu ger killtui. De esu tuyo Hero of Time, Link- fada?" The Hero of Time could only look at Lance, puzzled. Lance translated for him,  
  
"He wants to know, same as I did, sure enough, if yer the Hero of Time, aye, so it is." Link nodded slowly, returning his gaze to the captain. The face of Lance's father broke into a craggy grin that was actually more friendly than frightening.  
  
"Hoyae! Lyto tuyoses kolopan eti shanga!" The burly captain threw his hands wide in a gesture of friendliness, and the rest of the crew roared their approval.  
  
  
  
Link later found out that the captain's name was Captain Lanceton Untille the Fourteenth, making his newfound friend the Fifteen.  
  
The celebration went on late into the night, and by the time he and Jeremy managed to slip away, it was nearly dawn.  
  
"Looks like they weren't kidding when they said we would kolopan until dawn," the younger commented, holding his forehead in his hands. "Methinks I'm having a grafton, Link."  
  
"You're too damn clever for your own good," the blonde teenager replied, and both of them laughed. Jeremy did look rather pale in the dim light, so the two of them made their way back to the campsite of their troop.  
  
  
  
"Wake up! Wake up!" A thunderclap of horses' hooves raced by just outside Link's tent, and he jolted with surprise. "Urgent news!" Within mere seconds the Hero of Time was dressed and out the flap of his tent. He was not the only one in a fluster; the other soldiers were dressing and lining up in their assigned spots.  
  
  
  
He met the other leaders in the small conference tent near the back edge of their encampment. The leaders' faces were ashen and dark bags hung underneath their eyes.  
  
"General Khegen!" Hastily, Link saluted and bowed with respect. The elderly war general flapped an impatient hand at this courtesy. "What's going on?"  
  
"We've just got word that Selinta, the country just off of the Northern Baronies of Callembah, is the actual target for the Tophetian army." Commander Inkred's face fell rapidly. Link felt sympathy for the commander; his entire family was living in Selinta, and thus could be easy prey for the Tophetian warriors. "What makes it worse is that they know we have spies in their midst; I fear the worst for those brave souls; they must either be caught and held prisoner or killed outright, and we have no way of knowing if they talked or not."  
  
"How is this to be... resolved?" General Lakes inquired. "How do we counteract their feint?"  
  
"We cannot; there is no way we could make it to Selinta in time to help them in anyway." The general's face turned away from theirs. "I also fear what lies secretly in all our hearts, gentlemen; we may also have a traitor in our midst."  
  
Link exited the conference tent and stood stolidly just outside it, his brow drawn together with worry and contemplation. A traitor? How could there be when all of these Hylian soldiers were loyal to the King and the Princess Zelda? How could one betray his own country and nation to the evil whims of a insane maniac? It just didn't add up at all.  
  
"Hile, Link-fada!" Jeremy called, his young face lighting up with delight. "What's the news? What's going on?" The nineteen-year-old hesitated, unsure of how to tell his friend what had been discussed.  
  
"There may or may not be a traitor among us, and 'tis said that the Tophetian warriors are not attacking us here; Mellifluous Bay was merely a ruse." Jeremy's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Then where are they attacking?" Link closed his eyes for a moment, feeling tired and old; he did not know that in several years he would always feel that way.  
  
"Selinta," he replied without opening his eyes. He heard Jeremy's slight intake of breath... but...  
  
But what? Jeremy is as loyal to Hyrule as you are to Princess Zelda, and you have risked your own life for the Princess...  
  
Something tickled deeply at the back of Link's mind, yet he brushed it away as one would shoo a bothersome fly.  
  
"Link... I'm sorry..."  
  
"What for?" The Hero of Time's eyes fluttered open and he looked with some curiosity at his companion. Jeremy himself looked somewhat perplexed.  
  
"Well, you just looked so... forlorn... Do ye have kin in Selinta?" Jeremy already knew the answer to that question, but it was perfunctory, same as breathing air or drinking water-  
  
She bears easy on the eyes, I do admit.  
  
but he still felt discomfited by Jeremy's question. He had no idea if he had any kin in Selinta, or Hyrule, or Callembah and all of its baronies, or perhaps even Tophet.  
  
What a girl, eh?  
  
"Link? Hello?" The Hero of Time blinked and found himself face to face with Jeremy, who looked concerned and inquiring. "What happened? Did you wander off in your mind?"  
  
"I was woolgathering," the blonde teenager replied curtly before turning away. Jeremy's mouth drew down in puzzlement, then his eyes cleared with realization.  
  
"Ye've lost something, haven't you? Yesterday, it was."  
  
"Don't talk like that." Link wanted to leave Mellifluous Bay, to get away from all the odd people with their southern sea accents. "Don't."  
  
"All right then, Link, but if you'd listen to me, maybe I could know what's wrong. So what is bothering you? Last night you didn't really partake in any of the fun, and Lance had to nearly force you to have something to drink. All you would do on your own was stare at the wooden walls of that ship, now tell me what is wrong." Link looked at the sixteen-year-old, whose young wisdom shone on his still innocent face.  
  
He's never killed before, has he? Even though all you killed were monsters, your experience shows through. Perhaps you are older than you seem, Link.  
  
"I... I... I don't know," he answered at last, looking haggard and elderly, like the village elder or the King of Hyrule. Jeremy only got a glimpse of the depth of ancient wisdom and courage lying in Link, and that was when the younger began to feel in awe of the older. "I think I might be sick, but..." There it was again; that odd, aching quail in his heart.  
  
What a girl, eh?  
  
Link shook his head wearily and strode off, leaving Jeremy to wonder alone.  
  
  
  
Link sat alone on the far end of the pier, hanging his legs over the edge. He knew someone was coming the minute he/she stepped onto the pier, but he said nothing when he/she stood directly next to him.  
  
"Lovely sunset, isn't it?" Lance noted in his southern sea accent. "Makes a heart fair melt with the joys and sadness of the ending day, it do." The Hero of Time said nothing in reply, only continued to gaze serenely as the blood red sun began to dip behind the horizon, tainting the water a deep royal purple. "And sure enough, our brave swordsman remains seated in stoic silence. Aye, not many cities were built because your kind remained silent."  
  
"Not many cities were destroyed, too," Link retorted gently. "We have a traitor in our midst, it may seem."  
  
"Sure ye do. I know it meself." Before Lance could even blink, Link was up on his feet and his hands locked on the other's shoulders.  
  
"You knew we had a traitor?" The nineteen-year-old's whisper was deadly. Lance swallowed.  
  
'Ain't no way in all of the lands could a spirit even be half as fast as this'n,' his mind babbled. Aloud, the young sailor replied, "Aye, I heard from Jeremy himself, so I did, and 'twould be rather trig of ye, so it would, er heh, heh... heh..." Link released the dark-blue-haired teenager. The older looked humbled.  
  
"I'm sorry, Lance. I guess I must be uptight. Jeremy says I look out of sorts..." Lance studied Link carefully.  
  
"Aye, so ye do. Like something very unexpected hit ye and ye can't get it off'n yer mind." The hero rubbed at his temples wearily, looking very old and very feeble as he did so.  
  
"I don't know. My heart bears heavy in my chest, and I can't explain exactly what is bothering me because I honestly don't know, Lance." The younger patted his friend's shoulder comfortingly.  
  
"Aye, I do know what's ailing ye, Link-fada, and I know just how to solve yer problem... er... at least for now," he added when he noted the look of profound curiosity on the Hero of Time's face. Lance reached for a hidden pocket sewn inside his shirt and revealed the same sketch of the princess of Selinta. Link's eyes shone with reverence as he gazed at the scrap of paper depicting the beautiful girl. "Aye, and methinks we've found the root o' the problem, eh?"  
  
"Yes..." The nineteen-year-old's voice was a breathless little whisper. "But she's so beautiful..."  
  
"As fair as the Princess Zelda herself?" This inquiry caused Link to recoil with shame and embarrassment.  
  
"Perhaps... but I would bet that this one is far more beautiful..." He seemed almost reluctant to acknowledge this. The corner's of Lance's mouth twitched downward, but lifted in his friendly, careless smile.  
  
"Sure she is, and I think that we should go there. A princess this fair will need saving from the Tophetian warriors, I reckon." Link smiled, but his eyes were sad.  
  
"No, my troop and general are stationed here. I'll await orders and not leave them so vulnerable-"  
  
"We're under attack!" A scream rang out, high and piercing. Link immediately recognized it as Jeremy's and began sprinting down the pier.  
  
"Link!" Lance called out, stuffing the sketch back in his pocket. "Aye, Link! Wait for me!"  
  
  
  
Link skidded to a halt as he witnessed the massacre that beheld his eyes.  
  
Bodies were strewn everywhere. The ground so covered with blood that not all of it could soak in. Limbs and appendages alike were tossed about carelessly, like a toddler's playthings.  
  
"Jeremy!" He cried out, his eyes fixing on the mangled body of his only Hylian friend. "Jeremy!" The Hero of Time ran to his friend's side. "Speak!" The younger's head only lolled weakly on the stalk of his neck, and his eyes were open with silent horror. Link felt the tears behind his eyes, but as was his fate somehow, they never fell. Wordlessly he closed Jeremy's eyes. "...What happened here?" His voice grew dark and dangerous.  
  
"Link!" Lance shouted to warn him. "Look out behind you!" Before Link could fully turn around (you must remember, despite his almost unnatural speed, he was indeed fazed by the death of his friend), he received a heavy smack to the head and knew no more afterwards.  
  
Before he fell unconscious, however, the Hero of Time heard General Khegen of the Hylian Army say in a trembling voice, "May the gods and all of Hyrule forgive me for your death, Link, but this is for the sake of the Tophetian Might!"  
  
'Traitor...' 


	3. Deep in Dreams

For the life of me, I can't figure out how to get this durned thing to accept italics and such in Microsoft Word 97 .doc files, so for now, brackets such as [ and ] indicate speech that is happening whilst Our Fair Hero is unconscious or sleeping.  
  
One more note; originally, the chapters had titles, but I booted it when I was going to submit this to another site, so... yeah. And what relevance that had, I don't know.  
  
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Chapter Three  
  
[As you walk in the shadow of death, Hero, remember that you travel with Lance's soul in your care. Would you pay the price of a friend for the sake of a heart's desire, one that you cannot and WILL NOT win?]  
  
A heavy murmur. Such a comforting voice.  
  
"You must go back to Hyrule. You will be safer there!"  
  
"But Tristan...!"  
  
"No. I love you with all my heart, dearest, but believe me when I say I know what's best for you!" A hesitating silence.  
  
"I'll always love you. Stay safe, my love, take our sons with you. He will never be safe in such a land as this..."  
  
"Aye, and you as well... Will we see each other again, or will you be lost to the greedy anger of another foolish leader?"  
  
"...`Tis hard to say, and harder to tell the truth. I do not think we'll ever meet up again... but you must go on... for the sake of our sons, you must!"  
  
"Aye." A trembling whistle. The owner sounded on the verge of tears. "Kiss me, and let us part."  
  
"May the gods spare our lives."  
  
["He's been out for nearly three days... King Chandler has been contacted, and King Edward as well. Princess Zelda regrets that she cannot be by his side in his time of need."  
  
"Aye. I'll stand here and keep watch over him, case there be another one of them moaning fits. But he do sound like a demon!"  
  
"He does. P'raps the blow has rattled his senses."  
  
"...Aye, p'raps... but let us pray it hasn't..."]  
  
Fire. Heat. Screaming.  
  
Such is what an infant witnesses as he is cradled in the arms of a young Hylian woman. She runs frantically, gasping for air, trying to escape the thundering masses of panicked people and wild soldiers.  
  
Shouts. Moans. Dying.  
  
She stumbles but manages to stay upright somehow. She tears through the thickets, making sure to protect her baby from the scraggly claws of trees.  
  
They enter an opening, and she falls to her feet, nearly dropping the babe as she does so. A deep wound in her side is her chain and ball; she will die.  
  
The woman crawls forward, sobbing and gasping for air as she, even within sight of the Gates of Elysium, tries to save her only child.  
  
"I will care for this babe of thine, mother," a great and powerful voice utters. The Hylian woman looks up to see the Great Deku Tree looming over her. In her final moments, she sets the child down in front of the tree, kisses its forehead, and breathes her last.  
  
"When will he wake up?" Lance asked anxiously, glancing at his comatose friend. The high priest shook his head wearily.  
  
"It is hard to say, my son. He may or may not wake up. He is in a coma, and sometimes one might never wake up from such a deadly sleep. This young fellow took quite a blow to the head. I'm surprised to find that it didn't kill him right off." Lance's frown deepened, and the sailor sighed.  
  
[Link...]  
  
A gentle voice called out. Link slowly opened his eyes.  
  
[Link... I'm waiting...]  
  
The Hero of Time sat up and looked around, his vision clearing and sharpening as he became more awake.  
  
[Link... please... come... Link... come...]  
  
"Who are you?" the nineteen-year-old called out, clambering to his feet.  
  
[Please... I need your help...]  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
[Don't kill me... Link... Link...]  
  
"I'm not going to kill you! What do you want? Who are you?" He shouted, his frustration overpowering his weakness. "Tell me who you are?"  
  
[I'm trapped... Beneath the beauty... beneath everything... I'm condemned to die... help... I know... your friend... He can help...]  
  
"Lance? Do you mean Lance?" Link inquired, looking around. All he could see was hazy mist. Suddenly, a distant Hylian shape formed in it. Link stared at it for a moment, then began chasing after it. As if sensing his nearness, it began to draw away. "No, wait!"  
  
The last thing he saw was vibrant red hair.  
  
[Link... come... Link... see...]  
  
"What do you know about a girl with red hair?" Link demanded, his eyes opening as he sat up. Lance uttered a yelp of surprise and toppled over in his seat.  
  
"Matey!" He cried, joyous yet stunned. "Link, me ol' matey, I though ye were a goner, so I did, but sure `nough--" The Hero of Time flapped an impatient hand at the babbling sailor.  
  
"I asked you a question, Lance." The dark-blue-haired teenager looked baffled and folded his hands together and sat down in his seat once more. "What do you know about a girl with... really red hair?" Lance scratched the side of his neck a moment, avoiding eye contact.  
  
"Aye, I know a lot about the girl yer talking inquirin' after, Link. `Twas only one girl I ever remembered with such beautiful red hair. Aye. Me very best friend she was. I ain't seen her since ten years ago, so I haven't."  
  
"Do you know what happened to her? Where she is?" Link demanded, leaning forward. Lance shook his head and looked up at his friend.  
  
"Nay, I couldn't tell ye for the life of me. Last I heard she were a'movin' to Selinta, so she were, and I ain't heard from her since."  
  
"What was her name?"  
  
"Miyako, if'n I recall correctly. She only had herself a father, mind ye; her poor mum were laid low by the wasting disease, so she was..." Link nodded silently, thinking. Lance stood up uncertainly. "Well, I best be leavin' ye to yer rest, now, friend. Take care. Aye. I'll bring ye summat to eat, all right?"  
  
"Fine," the blonde teenager replied, feeling sleep steal away the rest of his consciousness. He dreamed of the princess, but this time, his dream was torn by cries of help. 


	4. Something Fell Apart

NOTE: A lengthy chapter. Warning in advance. It's about seven pages all told. I'm probably not following the route of many Zelda fanfictioners, but I hope that adds a change (and doesn't get me lynched or something. Yeah.)  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Link sat atop Epona, patiently waiting for Lance to say his own good byes. The Hero of Time had received orders to return to Hyrule Castle immediately after sufficient recovery. Lance had also wanted to come along, although Link wasn't entirely sure as to why, but he would be glad for the company. Even though Mellifluous Bay was about two days' journey from Hyrule Town and Castle, it was still a lonely trek through the thick Kokiri and Tiptip Forests.  
  
"Lance, where are you?" Link muttered beneath his breath, casting a wary eye towards the rising sun. It was perhaps only an hour or so after dawn, but Link felt the insatiable urge to gallop the entire distance to Hyrule Castle, to see his revered Princess Zelda, to perhaps banish the two longing voices in his heart...  
  
"Link! Aye, Link, I'm comin'!" The owner of the voice suddenly appeared, riding atop a fine midnight gelding at full speed. They came to a declining stop as they neared the Hero of Time.  
  
"Finally!" He didn't mean to sound so exasperated, but Link thought perhaps enough time had passed to allow Lance to say good-bye to everyone at least twice. Lance ran a hand swiftly through his fine dark blue hair.  
  
"Aye, and I beg yer apologies, but I had to take special care to say good- bye to me father and his crew, y'know..." The blonde teenager nodded, and the two of them gigged their horses and trotted out of Mellifluous Bay.  
  
  
  
On the second day's journey, Link finally began firing questions about the strange girl in his dreams, Miyako. She had visited him again last night, and this time the message was a little different, but all the more cryptic:  
  
I live in the shadow of a beautiful tyrant's evildoings. Please, Link, help me.  
  
He understood the bit about needing help, but a beautiful tyrant? Link could only recall several tyrants, and none of them were very beautiful at all.  
  
"What was she like?" was Link's first question.  
  
"Oh, aye. Miyako was a right pretty soul; beautiful as the sunrise and as kind as spring's fair days. Aye, so she were."  
  
'How poetic,' Link thought, somewhat surly. He didn't care much for poetry and over-flattering descriptions. "Did you love her?"  
  
"Only as a sister, mind ye. I knew 'tweren't for me to love her. She were kind, but straightforward. I remember her telling me she would travel to find her love, and when she found him, she wouldn't ever let go, no sir. I knew then it wasn't me, but I was still happy being her friend."  
  
"What did she look like?" Lance grinned and blushed a little, to Link's startled surprise and amusement.  
  
"Oh, that. She were right beautiful, like I was sayin' before, mind ye, but methinks the best thing about her was her shimmering red hair. Aye. It was right so pretty, and more oft than not it would be a'dancin' in my dreams. She had lovely green eyes, she did. A good laugh. A fierce heart, though. She could be bitter when called for, but what woman isn't, aye?  
  
"Oh, she were a wild creature. Had it in her mind that she'd be travelin' abroad and dueling dragons and escaping evil." The young sailor's expression turned distant and melancholy. "Aye, p'raps that what she's doin' now, eh?" Lance glanced at his companion and found Link's eyes had wandered off. They looked icy, but also contemplative and distant. "Aye, and sure that yer name's Lily Hunder and ye be courtin' yer love, Adam Bankly." Link blinked and looked at Lance.  
  
"What? What did you say?" The young sailor threw his head back and laughed.  
  
"Well, now I know yer payin' 'tention. What were ye thinkin of, ger fada?" The Hero of Time shook his head slowly.  
  
" 'Tain't important," he answered briskly. "We should be entering the Kokiri Forests, soon, judging by the looks of these trees." Lance scoffed.  
  
"Matey, we've been in Kokiri Forests for nigh of an hour." The blonde teenager jerked in surprise.  
  
"Wha-what?"  
  
"Aye, ye heard correctly. We been in Kokiri Forests for the better half of an hour, so we have." Link ran a hand nervously through his fine blonde hair.  
  
"So we have," he agreed shakily.  
  
"What's vexed ye so, matey?" Lance's tone was one of curious sympathy. Link sighed.  
  
"I don't know, Lance. It's been... a long day for me. My mind's... cluttered. I can't think straight. I beg your pardon."  
  
"Of course!" Lance replied vehemently. "Nay, ye needn't be apologizin' to me, Link-fada, I need no apologies. 'Sides, yer me matey, and 'twould be right shameful of me to not be askin' of yer good health. I ask 'cos you look pale and unwell."  
  
"I do?" Link shook his head slowly. "Yes, I suppose I must." Lance wriggled around on his horse, and then looked up at the sky. Only small patches of blue could be seen from inside the thick forests.  
  
"Of course ye do, matey, and I'm frightful sorry that yer mind's wanderin' so oft. 'Tis a terrible thing. Are you thinking of the Princess of Selinta?"  
  
"...Yes... I suppose I must be..."  
  
  
  
Hyrule Castle was in sight several hours later, but the sun had already begun to set. They would not make it in time unless they galloped, but Link decided not to put extra stress on the horses.  
  
"We'll camp here tonight," Link suggested, pointing near the entrance to the true Kokiri Forests. Lance nodded silently and gigged his horse, trotting over to the staked area.  
  
"Aye, 'tis a fine a spot as any, I'll warrant. We make for Hyrule Castle at sunup?" inquired the dark-blue-haired teenager.  
  
"All right, sounds fine," Link replied absently, and sat down near the stump of a tree. Unbeknownst to either of them, a shadowed creature watched them from the treetops, then took flight.  
  
  
  
"Link and his companion have entered Hyrule, Your Majesty," Mon reported, landing on Princess Zelda's balcony. The beautiful young princess looked up and smiled.  
  
"Thank you, Mon. I do hope he is feeling ever so much better. To think, General Khegen, a traitor! It bears thought, does it not?" She wiped away a single tear from one of her deep azure eyes. Mon dipped his head in silence. "Well, at least Link is safe." She beamed dazzlingly at her servant. "And guess what Father said? He has given me permission to talk to Link about wedding arrangements!"  
  
"Wedding arrangements?" Mon repeated, startled. "Did you talk to Link a'tall about an actual wedding, Princess?"  
  
"No, Mon. I was planning to surprise with him it!" Zelda clapped her hands together and sighed sweetly. "Oh Link... he'll be so thrilled!"  
  
"I'm sure he will, Your Highness," the winged creature replied, smiling uncertainly.  
  
As the sun peered over the horizon, Lance's eyes slowly blinked open.  
  
"Mmm...?" The young sailor sat up and looked around. "Shucks... Link, up yerself now, matey. 'Tis dawn, if ye can't tell." The Hero of Time murmured fuzzily and sat up. To Lance's dismay, Link didn't look half as good as he had yesterday, and yesterday he hadn't looked very good, either. '...Yer looking worse, matey,' Lance thought, thoroughly worried. 'Hope 'tisn't the wasting disease... Miyako's own mother looked as bad as that when she were sick... aye... Link, matey, don't die on me... yer the only friend I got...' Aloud he asked, "Link, matey, yer looking well this beautiful morn!"  
  
"Oh, hush," Link muttered sleepily, rubbing at his eyes. "I feel as bad as I look, and I feel pretty damn sick."  
  
"Aye, so ye do," Lance said, all laughter and jest fading from his voice. "Link, if ye begin to feel sick to yer stomach and all light-headed, tell me, aye?"  
  
"Aye," Link replied weakly, and smiled falsely. Lance returned the sham smile, concealing his worry.  
  
  
  
Link tied up Epona and Mason outside the castle walls as Lance examined the moat with some wonder.  
  
"What be this, Link-fada? A moat that couldn't even hold back a horse! Tch!" Lance clicked his tongue and shook his head. "What a useless waste, eh?"  
  
"I suppose," Link replied, shrugging. "I never gave it much thought. I always supposed it was for decoration, not so much as an actual defense." Lance shook his head.  
  
"Tch, I do say, 'tis a waste!"  
  
"Let's go," his companion urged colorlessly.  
  
  
  
The town was experiencing its usual industrious commerce, even early in the morning. Lance marveled at the variety and quantity of goods to be found. Link made his way through the crowd, arriving at the other side only to find his friend was not behind him, as he had thought.  
  
"Lance?" Link called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Lance!"  
  
"Right here, matey!" A cheerful voice replied. The Hero of Time looked to his left and found Lance waving at him from just outside the Target Practice shop. Link half-smiled; he had some fond memories of his adventures freeing Hyrule from Ganondorf.  
  
"Come here, and I'll show you something," Link called out, turning and walking off in the direction of the Temple of Time.  
  
"Wow..." Lance whistled and nodded his head barely, his eyes never leaving the wondrous sight. " 'Tis a majestic place, aye. What be it for, matey?"  
  
"It's Hyrule's Temple of Time," Link replied thoughtfully, tilting his head slightly to one side. "This is where I spent seven years of my life..."  
  
"Aye, so I've heard. But ye let Ganondorf into the Sacred Realm, so ye did..." Lance murmured, avoiding eye contact with his friend. Link cast his view to the ground.  
  
"I know, but it could not be helped." The young sailor nodded.  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
"Inside?" Lance seemed afraid of the temple. Link shook his head.  
  
"No, to the castle. I'm sure the Princess is waiting for us."  
  
  
  
"Halt! Who goes there?" The Guard of the Gate called out menacingly.  
  
"It is I, Link, the Hero of Time, and I bring a companion, my friend Lance Untille!" Link replied loudly, rolling his eyes to Lance. Lance sniggered silently but managed to keep a straight face as they peered around the corner. The Guard of the Gate spluttered in surprise,  
  
"L-Link! Welcome back to Hyrule Castle, sir!" The Hylian soldier saluted dutifully. "The King and Princess are expecting you! Go right ahead!" Link nodded at the guard in the threshold, and the gate slowly creaked open.  
  
"Welcome home, sir!" The other guards called out as they passed by.  
  
"Glad to have you home and well, Link!"  
  
"It does a heart good to see a young lad home again, Link!"  
  
"Do you know all these guards?" Lance inquired quietly as the drawbridge lowered steadily. Link nodded.  
  
"Yes. They're the Guards of the Gate and Castle, and I've spent some time with all of them. They're friendly men, Lance, and they seem to always be eternally grateful to me."  
  
"Well, ye did save their country and home, Link," Lance pointed out, a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth.  
  
"True, true..." They entered the Hyrule Castle, which stood like a monument to dignity in the morning sun.  
  
  
  
The pair of teenagers strode briskly down the red carpeted hallway. Lance murmured in amazement at the grandeur of decorations and the well-kept atmosphere of the castle. A passing pedagogue nodded nervously at the pair of them, and then said,  
  
"Link, how do thee fair?"  
  
"Thee, thee!" Lance chuckled with amusement. "Aye, and sure 'nough that ye and yer people talk funny, so ye do." Link punched Lance's shoulder in a playful manner, although the young sailor winced.  
  
"Mind your manners, he's the Hyrule's Chief Advisor," Link muttered, then replied in a louder tone, "I am well, Advisor Misha." The elderly man smiled thinly.  
  
"That is good, my son. Now, if you would please step this way, the Royal Court is awaiting your presence."  
  
"My presence?" Link echoed, looking perturbed. "But how did you know...?"  
  
"We have far reaching eyes, Link," Advisor Misha replied matter-of-factly. "Now come."  
  
"Of all the pompous prigs..." Lance murmured, narrowing his eyes as Misha turned away from them. Link said nothing. Lance's accent had disappeared entirely, thus furthering adding to Link's trouble. Who was this strange boy who claimed to be who he was?  
  
  
  
When the three of them entered the Royal Court's Assembly Room, there was two high tables seating thirteen counselors each. At the far end of the room was a smaller, yet fancier table. At this sat King Chandler, King Edward, Queen Eloisa, and Princess Zelda.  
  
"Welcome, Link. And you as well, friend," King Chandler called, rising out of his seat and standing tall before them. Link and Lance walked forward until they came to a halt before the table. "What is your name?"  
  
"Lanceton Untille the Fifteenth, sire," Lance replied gravely, bowing deeply as he said so. Link remained silent still. All trace of accent was gone yet again. "I come with good tidings from King Nichias and his wife, the fair Lady Noua."  
  
"Of the all the Northern Baronies of Callembah and the United Force of Dinesen?" The entire Royal Court seemed shocked. Even Link could hardly stop his jaw from dropping open. Lance bowed once more.  
  
"Yes, sire. I have this letter from King Nichias himself." The young sailor (although Link was not entirely sure of this anymore) reached inside his shirt and produced a royally sealed envelope. "He wishes good fortune upon your land and your harvest." King Chandler accepted the letter, tucking it away in his own breast pocket.  
  
"I shall read it in due time. Meanwhile, we were discussing possible plans for a future alliance, among our lands." King Chandler indicated King Edward and Queen Eloisa. "I present King Edward and his wife, Queen Eloisa, of Selinta."  
  
"We are met well," King Edward replied in his presumptuous, dignified manner. "My wife and I are already acquainted with young Lanceton." King Chandler raised an eyebrow curiously but said nothing. "How do you do, Link of Hyrule?" The Hero of Time bowed modestly.  
  
"I fair well, King Edward. I hear that your land is recuperating from the terrible famine that had once gripped it. It is good to hear that." The king of Selinta nodded.  
  
"Yes, we are. Thank you for your concern. Our larger problem at hand are the Tophetian Warriors, as you may know." King Chandler cleared his throat for attention and smiled benignly at Link and his friend.  
  
"Let us settle those matters at a later time, yes? Now then. I have a very important announcement to make." The King of Hyrule glanced at his daughter and nodded. Princess Zelda stood up, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks and tinting them a lovely shade of light rose. Link's mind dipped and swooned in his head, but he kept his countenance passive, expressionless, as per usual. Lance's face displayed an emotion of curious wonder. "Link, it is my pleasure and joy to present to you my daughter, Princess Zelda. Will you take her as your wife, Hero of Time, and be King of Hyrule when my reign comes to an end?"  
  
At first Link supposed King Chandler was talking in some archaic, forgotten language, such as Illian, but it was not so. His mind deciphered it after a moment's consideration, and it was then that he realized all eyes were focused intently on his being.  
  
His knees actually buckled; minutely, however. No one noticed in the intense minute of concentration. Princess Zelda's eyes were fixed upon him with simple adoration and hope. Link felt his mind gibbering madly at him -  
  
(what about her what about her oh you can't marry Princess Zelda don't forget you love her you love the Princess of Selinta you can't marry Princess Zelda)  
  
- and slowly but surely his legs became unhinged from beneath his favorite green tunic and ever so sluggishly Link collapsed onto the floor of the Royal Court's Assembly Room, before the counselors and the royalty.  
  
Link was not aware of anything anyone did to or for him during the next three days after his physical collapse. He lay in the silent grip of a deep coma as the physicians worried and whispered, not having the slightest clue what he was afflicted with. King Chandler and Princess Zelda stood by his sickbed often, praying and willing him into wakefulness, but neither worked. He lay, comatose, in the bedroom that would be his and Zelda's if he should accept the proposal.  
  
But would he? How could he? How could he possibly accept the offer, knowing that his love lay elsewhere, with two women he never met? Link simply could not hope to live a comfortable life with Zelda knowing that his true love was far off, possibly in trouble.  
  
Finally, on the morning of the fourth day, the Hero of Time's eyes slowly lifted open, cloudy and semiconscious. A thick, warm blanket was draped over his body, and after a moment's confusion he realized he was lying naked in bed.  
  
He sat up with a start and uttered a howl of pain as a bright flash seared just behind his eyes. Link winced and rubbed his eyes furiously, his head alternately pounding with blood and screaming with agony.  
  
His memory was muddled and unclear, and at first the blonde teenager had no idea how he got in this state, but slowly it began fitting together like puzzle pieces. He groaned and put a hand to his face, feeling hot embarrassment creep into his cheeks. He had fainted in front of the Royal Court. Not to mention Kind Edward and his wife Queen Eloisa and their thirteen counselors.  
  
"Oh no..." Link buried his face in his hands for a moment, trying to justify such a unthinkable event. And what must Zelda and King Chandler think of him? A knock-kneed, foolish, and weak idiot? Perhaps not, but he did not feel much better, even after arriving at this conclusion.  
  
"You're awake, matey, aye," a cheerful voice noted. Link jerked in surprise and found Lance watching him from a stuffed armchair at the other side of the long bedroom. "And how are you feelin' this fine morn, sunshine?"  
  
"Stupid and sick," Link muttered sulkily, laying back down. "Damn it, I can't believe I fainted."  
  
"You were weak, Link. There's no shame in being sick and fainting." Lance's accent disappeared entirely once more, and the Hero of Time propped himself up on one elbow and inquired,  
  
"Lance? Who are you? And why do you feign a southern sea accent?" The young sailor looked hesitant for a moment.  
  
"I know it may seem odd for me to drop in and out of accent, Link-fada, but you must believe me. Everything I have told you thus far is true... but I haven't told you all of the truth."  
  
"No, you haven't, and I think I'd be very interested in hearing it," the nineteen-year-old stated thoughtfully. Lance shook his head.  
  
"Not at the moment. You're too weak, so ye are. Get yerself some sleep, matey, ye don't know to have another spell like that 'un?" Link considered it for a moment, then decided it would be a good idea to rest a little. 


	5. Once Upon A Time...

Chapter Five  
  
It was an additional two days before the physicians would allow Link out of bed, and yet another week before he was granted permission to do exerting activities such as horseback riding. Finally glad to be out of that stuffy room and into the good Hylian air, the Hero of Time took the first chance he could to escape the world of counselors, messengers, and most of all, royalty. He hadn't really talked to Princess Zelda or King Chandler (both had been terribly busy), but he felt now was not the time to confront them, especially on the matters of marriage.  
  
He simply could not marry Princess Zelda. At one point before his arrival at Mellifluous Bay for the first time, Link would have been enthralled to marry what he thought was the love of his life. But now, heavy with the dreams of fading cries, he realized that he would never be happy as the King of Hyrule. He couldn't stand the constant attendance of meetings and dinners, and the fact that he would probably not be allowed even an hour to himself for any sort of reason. It would be a hectic life of meetings, decisions, and headaches. Link didn't think the life of a nobleman was for him at all.  
  
He rode Epona long and hard across the beautiful Hylian landscapes, not thinking of anything in particular. He had no desire to. Tonight was his; he would use it wisely. He might not get another chance to be by himself for a long time, he feared.  
  
  
  
Link finally slowed Epona's gallop to a mere amble as they passed by Lon Lon Ranch for the third time.  
  
"Hile, Link!" Malon called in a friendly tone, raising her hand in the traditional Hylian greeting. Link did likewise, but urged Epona no closer to the ranch than they already were. "Glad to see you back upon your feet! Are you feeling well now?"  
  
"I am, and thank you for your concern! I haven't the time to talk, though," he lied, feeling guilty. But right now, he didn't think he had the patience to face yet another woman who had a strong liking for him. He gigged Epona and they sped off, kicking up a trail of fine dust as the pretty young girl watched them ride into the distance.  
  
  
  
Link paused by the bridge hanging over the river. He dismounted Epona and sat on the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the long drop.  
  
"Ahoy, there, matey," Lance called out, walking towards Link from the other side of the bridge. Startled, the Hero of Time looked up to find his friend striding across the rickety wooden bridge.  
  
"The Gerudo didn't catch you?" Link inquired, surprised.  
  
"The Gerudo? Oh, ye mean those pert women, eh?" Lance grinned and winked. "Oh, aye, I would've let them catch me, ye see, but I've a fearful mind that women would so like to get their hands on me. I'm a fine catch, eh?" Link chuckled.  
  
"Whatever you say, friend. Have a seat."  
  
"Don't mind if I do," Lance replied, seating himself nicely next to the nineteen-year-old. "Methinks you're feeling much better than a few days ago, aye?"  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Sleep's been comfortable and pretty dreamless, eh?" Link frowned, puzzled, not knowing where the point of the conversation was.  
  
"I suppose so..." Lance slowly turned his head until he was gazing at the beautiful roaring waterfall.  
  
"Aye, it has been. And I've a mind to tell ye of me past, so I have. Why I talk with a southern sea accent, why I concealed my task from ye, and who I really am. Have ye an ear to listen?"  
  
"I do," was Link's short reply.  
  
"Then listen..."  
  
  
  
Once upon a time, he had lived in a small nameless village on the coast of Kreya, although he had been born in the Palace of Selinta. Lanceton Untille the Fifteenth began his journey down the long path called life. His mother was a beautiful woman named Sarya, and his father, a sailor and a Kreyan, named Lanceton. His father had been good friends with the king, but his duties took him elsewhere.  
  
Until the age of five, life was peaceful and sedentary. Then, a terrible event occurred. Pirates, who killed anyone they saw, including his mother, raided Lance's village. Lanceton and most of the men of the village was away, hunting for the winter stores, and about half the children were off playing near Lake Shilla. Lance happened to be one of the fortunate few that survived the raid.  
  
Lanceton took his son away from the village to escape the horrible memories. They traveled to Selinta. Lanceton had grown up with one of the palace guards before having moved to that poor nameless village. So they were accepted into the castle and adopted as servants.  
  
Lance met the King and his Lady of Selinta, and immediately befriended them. Their daughter, Cheyanna, was only three years to his five years. Lance's father received his own ship and the rank of captain aboard it. He took his son with him and they began traveling ever since. They often returned to Selinta, but the last time they had gone there together, Lance was only thirteen, and Cheyanna hadn't begun to bloom her true beauty.  
  
They visited foreign lands, made friends of kings and queens, learned different languages and dialects, and explored vast new oceans and shores. Lance was a sharp learner and soon became their navigator, learning to read their position from the faraway stars.  
  
At long last Lance pleaded with his father to travel on foot, and finally Captain Lanceton consented. For the past three years (Lance was now eighteen) he had been trekking to new places, often meeting his father at various ports around the lands. He had only journeyed back to Selinta and received a note from them to ask for help from the Tophetian Warriors; that was what the letter contained. He had seen Cheyanna, who was on the verge of turning sixteen, and she had been quite the beauty.  
  
The sketch had been done by one of Lance's dear friends, Mystu the Fourteenth. He was a fair lad, tall for his young age of fifteen, and a terribly talented artist. (Here Lance bade Link should meet him sometime to have his own portrait sketched. "You'd make a fine picture, matey," Lance proclaimed. Link shook his head. "No, I'm uglier than old Ganondorf himself." "Hardly!" The young sailor seemed indignant.)  
  
"And that's me story, matey," Lance finished quietly.  
  
"So why the accent? Why pretend you're of the southern sea area?"  
  
"Well, matey, I do like the sound it brings to me own ears, and they're a friendly people at that. 'Tis my favorite accent to speak with, so 'tis." Link nodded. "I enjoy their culture, matey."  
  
"So you do," the blonde teenager replied. "What are we going to do about Princess Zelda?" Lance remained silent for a moment.  
  
"It's pretty obvious you don't want to marry her."  
  
"I think I've fallen out of love with her, if I ever was in love with her. She's a beautiful princess, Lance, and she's kind and sweet, but... the life of a king isn't for me. I would suffocate quickly. Do you understand?"  
  
"Aye. You're more of a loner and an adventurer. 'Twould not be right for you to dress yourself up prim and proper and attend banquets and sign treaties. You would rather be fighting in wars, protecting the innocent firsthand, and riding around on your Epona." Link nodded his head emphatically.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"...Miyako would be yer gal, then, Link-fada. She's always sought out adventure, she has, aye." Lance brought his fingers to his mouth and thought for a moment. "Aye... perfect..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You two." Link colored slightly. This was an unexpected  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"...Yeah..." Lance's voice dropped lower. "You would."  
  
  
  
It was late sunset when the two of them returned to the castle. Unfortunately for Link, King Chandler and Princess Zelda greeted them.  
  
"Where have you been, silly?" The princess's cultured voice was chiding yet relenting, somehow. King Chandler remained silent, passive, watching Link closely. Zelda's voice faltered, and she stopped. The air was thick. Her expression grew from forced cheer to crestfallen sorrow. "I knew it to be true, Link, I prayed it would not be so..."  
  
"I'm sorry," he uttered, averting his eyes. "But I don't... I don't want to marry you, Princess Zelda. I'm not suitable to be King of Hyrule. And I never will." The Princess looked away for a moment, her eyes softening with fresh tears. King Chandler took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "...I..."  
  
"It's fine, Link," the kind replied heavily. "I had such high hopes for you, my daughter, and Hyrule... but it seems that Fate decrees it not."  
  
"Yes, sir," mumbled the Hero of Time, still keeping his gaze on the ground.  
  
"Well, after much thought, I have decided to send you and your friends to Selinta, with the Hylian Army. It seems that they need our help as fast as possible, and... with General Khegen's betrayal, it seems that Selinta could be the key objective in this war."  
  
"Yes, sir," replied the Hero of Time, meeting the king's gaze at last. King Chandler's eyes softened slightly at the corners.  
  
"A damn fine son you would have made, Link," he murmured as the nineteen- year-old bowed and turned away. "A damn fine son!"  
  
  
  
Lance was all about dancing about as they strode down the hallway to the castle front the next morning. Link couldn't resist a smile; the young sailor was incorrigible.  
  
"We meet again, Link," a gruff voice stated rather sourly. Startled, the teenager turned around and found himself face to face with his one-time rival, Jonathan.  
  
"Jonathan," the Hero of Time replied impassively. Lance watched the two stare each other down, with some curiosity.  
  
"Well, now, ain't we just a tad too friendly? Methinks I'll have to pull ye off each other, yer so happy to see each other," the blue-haired teenager drawled dryly, smiling oddly. Link shook his head wearily, said nothing, and turned away. Jonathan wasn't his top priority at the moment; leaving Hyrule for the land of Selinta was.  
  
"Let's go," the blonde said curtly, ignoring his rival. Lance followed his friend, and then noticed Jonathan following them as well. "What are you doing?" The Hero of Time turned around, surprising Lance.  
  
"Following you, mate," replied the young sailor. Link shook his head once.  
  
"No, not you. Jonathan." The other teenager smiled wryly.  
  
"I've been assigned to go with you, oh Hero of Time."  
  
"Don't get in my way," spat the nineteen-year-old before turning to stride off. This time Jonathan didn't follow; he merely watched the other two disappear down the hallway.  
  
"You'll get yours, hero," muttered the young soldier.  
  
  
  
"What was that all about?" Lance inquired, hurriedly following his friend outside to the ranks of the army.  
  
"...Jonathan and I go back a year or so ago," Link answered coolly, not bothering to look at his companion. "He tried to best me in a sword fight, and then, during the midst of it, attempted to win by cheating. We haven't made amends since. Of course, he happens to be quite full of himself, so losing to me wasn't exactly his idea of maintaining his pride. He hates me for not having gone back in time; he thinks I'm out of my place, that I shouldn't be here."  
  
"I see," the younger said uncertainly. "Well, that's all fair enow, I suppose, but I reckon he's right jealous of ye." Link nodded in agreement.  
  
"I guess he must be, though I haven't tried to upstage him at all..." 


	6. I Don't Sleep, I Dream

The chapter is named after an R.E.M song. Yay for R.E.M.!  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Chapter Six  
  
"We'll take the first leg of the journey to Mellifluous Bay. We've kept the Tophetian Warriors out of that area; it's still a war zone, but reinforcements are being sent," announced General Aston. "There, we have three ships waiting for us.  
  
"The immediate plan is to dock at Port Sadena, in Rinthen, before heading directly to Ashara, Selinta's main seaport. From there it will be three days' march to Ontharn, the capital. We are to eliminate all enemies encountered, Tophetian or not. As you know, Endymio is a strong ally of Tophet, and we will be sailing past their territorial waters after docking at Port Sadena.  
  
"Any questions?" inquired the military leader. Nobody said anything; they didn't expect to live long on such a suicide mission.  
  
  
  
The soldiers were given an hour to say their last minute good-byes before embarking on the perilous journey.  
  
Link wandered to the stable, to say his good-bye to Epona, who would have to wait several months for his return.  
  
"Sorry, old girl, but this is a march, and I don't want to leave you in Mellifluous Bay. You're not too familiar with the area, and the Tophetians... well... Mellifluous Bay is still a prime target for them..."  
  
"Hello, Link, hoot hoo," a familiar gruff voice called out. Startled, the Hero of Time turned around to find himself nose to beak with the owl from his turbulent childhood.  
  
"...It's... you!" He exclaimed, having never learned the owl's name.  
  
"It's me," agreed the owl cheerfully, turning its head this way and that. "Since we've never been properly introduced, I am Kaepora Gaebora, and I already know you, Link."  
  
"After all this time, you came to visit me now? Just before the most important march of my life?" Link asked incredulously. "Or have you come to offer me advice?" Kaepora shook his great feathered head.  
  
"Be not bitter with me, young man. Hoot hoo hoot. I didn't come for leisure or to offer you advice. I came with a message, a very urgent message.  
  
"My travels soar me over oceans, fly me high over mountains, and zoom me through thick forests. I heard a cry, a Dream Plea, for help." The owl's eyes widened dramatically. "From Selinta."  
  
Link's body tensed up, and his heart began pounding faster. Presently his skin began to feel unpleasantly clammy. He blinked, hardly daring to breathe.  
  
"A Dream Plea? From who in Selinta?"  
  
"In the city of Ontharn, there is the capital's castle, Castle Dythia. And in the highest tower, there is a young girl, perhaps a bit younger than yourself, who is shackled and bound to the dry, bare cell. Her face has been covered with a hideous mask, bound by strong metal, and her dress is torn and dirty.  
  
"She came to me when I slept one night, in the Tiptip Forest, and begged me to find someone to help her. She is imprisoned because she had somehow offended Princess Cheyanna, and the king threw her into the cell. She will die soon; her spirit grows weak."  
  
"...What... What's her name?" The Hero of Time swallowed hard, his eyes bright and feverish. Kaepora noticed this.  
  
"She told me her name was Miyako."  
  
Link inadvertently clutched at his chest, his icy blue eyes widening rapidly in agony.  
  
"Link?" Kaepora demanded, hopping closer. "Link, are you all right?" The Hero of Time blinked once, then his eyes rolled back and he slumped backwards, onto the wooden floor of the stable. Epona reared back and neighed wildly.  
  
  
  
[The time has come, Link. Meet your destiny...]  
  
The Hero of Time slowly opened his eyes, only to find he wasn't at Hyrule Castle's stables, or anywhere in Hyrule, for that matter.  
  
The room was narrow, and shrank to a point as the walls met the ceiling. The cell was made of stone and utterly bare, aside from one small rectangular window, barred closely, high on the north wall.  
  
In the corner, curled up in a fetal position, was a young teenage girl. Her hair was dirty and tangled, but any fool could easily tell that once it was clean, it would be a vibrant red.  
  
It was as Kaepora has said; her hands were bound cruelly behind her back with metal shackles. Her bare feet were chained to the wall, the fetters tight and on a short leash. Her entire head was engulfed by a hideous, pointed bronze mask that had two small slits for the eyes, another two even smaller for the nose, and a slightly larger slit for the mouth.  
  
"I... Um..." He stuttered, feeling somewhat inane. A woman that he was already falling in love with (or something close to it), and he had no idea who she was or what she looked like! 'I'm such a fool,' he thought, annoyed with himself.  
  
The young girl jerked and looked over in Link's general direction. The blonde teenager had no idea what to say.  
  
"Who... are... Are you... You must be..." She also seemed at a loss for words. "...I didn't think anyone would come... for me..." The young girl—  
  
[She told me her name was Miyako.]  
  
— sat upright and craned her head towards him.  
  
"I've been here for several months. I don't think I can last much longer, Link." The Hero of Time twitched in surprise.  
  
"How did you... know my name? I never told you..."  
  
"I sent you those dreams, Link, I can't remain like this much longer, I'm afraid I'm going to die." Her voice was faint, and his vision became fuzzy. He blinked, but the fuzziness persisted. "My Dream Powers are weakening. Soon I won't even be able to send you any Dream Calls or Pleas...  
  
"My friend Lance is with you, he'll be able to help you, but please, I beg you, liberate me. I need... I need to go... to the Temple of..." Her voice began to fade even more, and suddenly Link was falling, falling backwards into nothing, away from the stone cell and its single, dying occupant. "Please..."  
  
[Link...]  
  
  
  
Link's eyes snapped open suddenly. Kaepora was still watching over him closely.  
  
"Link." The owl was obviously relieved. "What was that?"  
  
"I have to go!" He exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. Without another look back he was racing out of the stable, to the army's rendezvous point. 


	7. Heavy Water

A short chapter, really. Mostly filler, a bit more of Lance's past revealed, blah blah blah. :P The chapter's (aptly) named after a favored Styx song.  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
Roughly a day and a half later the chosen Hylian soldiers were assembled in Mellifluous Bay, awaiting the arrival of the ship that would take them to Port Sadena.  
  
Link had never seen Lance so morose in the entire time he had known the teenager. The young sailor was moping about on his father's ship, hardly talking to the other sailors or the other soldiers in the town. Finally, the nineteen-year-old decided to confront his friend about it.  
  
"What's wrong, Lance? We're going to Selinta! Back at the castle you were so happy that we were going, but now... now you're acting as though it's a death wish come true..." Lance turned his unhappy eyes towards his friend.  
  
"Aye, so 'tis, but far worse than a death wish. I told ye true of my past, Link; I'd never lie to ye, but I did not tell you all of it..."  
  
"More secrets?" inquired the blonde dully, closing his eyes. "Why does everyone have to sneak around my back."  
  
"Nay, I'd never," the sailor replied stiffly.  
  
  
  
His mother had been killed, yes, but she was not normal at all. His father had been Kreyan, which was very similar to Hylian, aside from the ears, however slender they were, they were not as long as a Hylian's. But his mother... she had been...  
  
Aquarian. The People of the Sea. An aquatic race of Hylians that had so adapted to a new way of living that they were comfortable living in or out of water.  
  
But they didn't like their land-based counterparts quite so much anymore. As a matter of fact, they seemed to harbor an intense dislike for all land- living creatures, especially Hylians. Anyone who spoke of them would be condemned.  
  
His mother, Sarya, had married a land-living man, Lanceton Untille the Fourteenth.  
  
Lanceton had been traveling in a good ship called Skyward when a sudden, violent storm broke out and all the crew but himself was tossed overboard and killed.  
  
At the same time, Sarya had ventured near the surface, despite the disapproval such an action would cause. She literally ran into Lanceton, who was drowning rapidly.  
  
She saved him, as any good soul would do. Sarya was somewhat of a rebel, and did not really mind the laws at all. She helped him to shore and they conversed. Presently they fell in love, and she left her entire life behind to marry him.  
  
But it was not all over; the King of Aquarians, Sire Lawden, condemned her. Forever and ever, as long as her lineage of descendants carried on, they would be both cursed and blessed. They could live in the water without fear of death by drowning, but any Aquarian would be able to recognize them for who they were, and immediately seek to destroy him or her.  
  
  
  
Link was stunned.  
  
Even knowing this curse, Lance had done the most dangerous thing he could do; become a sailor. Each and every time he went out to sea, he put himself at risk to be slain by his own kind.  
  
"Well," the Hero of Time stated numbly, "that explains your hair." The young sailor blinked in surprise, then laughed heartily.  
  
"My, but you're quite a straightfor'ad person, neh? Aye, I can live underwater, control water, be the damned water for all they care, but as soon as they see me, the hunt is on. And lately, there've been many reports of storms, aye, big bad ones like the one that tossed me father overboard. I been worrying."  
  
"Well, I'll protect you if that happens," Link replied briskly, hardly believing what was coming out of his own mouth. "I'll make sure that you return from this journey safely. You're my friend."  
  
"Well now, thank you!" exclaimed the dark blue-haired teenager cheerfully. "And I'll do the same for ye, Link-fada!"  
  
  
  
The next day, their ship arrived. It was a large, beautiful mahogany creation wonderfully called Cloud Drifter. Its sails were a milky white, and the Selintan crest was embroidered fashionably on each of them.  
  
Link stared wondrously at it, as did Lance. Both of them seemed captivated by its stately elegance.  
  
"Well, we'll be traveling in style, at least," Jonathan was heard to remark.  
  
  
  
Before boarding the ship, Link checked his small pouch attacked tightly to his belt. It was a magically enhanced pouch that he had received from Kaepora nine years ago, when he had been first starting out on his quest to redeem Hyrule. With it, the nineteen-year-old could place any-sized item inside and have plenty of room. To get it back out, all he had to do was think of what item he had placed inside while he reached in to grab it. It was terribly useful, he thought upon reflection, and losing it would devastate him, especially since it was so lightweight and convenient.  
  
"C'mon, matey, let's go!" Link blinked and looked up. Lance was hanging over the bow, waving a arm to him. "You want to get a good cabin, neh?"  
  
Captain Lanceton himself and his crew had gathered around the dock to see Cloud Drifter off.  
  
"Shanele la toyati!" Lanceton called out, waving his huge arm. The ship began to set off, with the soldiers on board calling last good-byes to the kind crew members of the Miya' Tana.  
  
  
  
As the day wore on, Link found himself hanging dejectedly over the ship's railing. He felt sick, as though his stomach had no bottom and everything was going to come up in one great rush. He winced and put a hand to his mouth. Damn seasickness.  
  
"Ahoy, matey, feelin' a bit under the weather?" Lance inquired, not insincerely. "Tough luck, matey, 'twill be a beautiful sunset if you'd venture up to the lookout with me tonight. Look at those clouds yonder. They'll be a right pretty sight once the beams hit them over the horizon."  
  
"Yeah, really pretty," Link muttered, closing his eyes as the ship lurched forward. Lance frowned, not seeming to hear his friend as he stared into the other direction. The clouds in the opposite direction were looming and ominous, certainly promising a bad storm. 


	8. Man Overboard

x_x A bit disappointed I haven't gotten many reviews, but ah well. Too many people are Link/Zelda 'shippers, and simply cannot abide my style of writing anyway. At least I hope I have an audience, even if it's an audience of one. Hmm... I bet the reason I've not many readers is because there's no yaoi or sex in this story. Either that or the plot's taking too long to get going. Well, I apologize for that, but a good fanfiction should be long and well thought out.  
  
  
  
Oh yeah, when Lance refers to Link as his 'ger fada,' that's Kreyan for 'my friend' or 'my brother/sister' (depending on who it's said to). No, it's not a real language. Yes, I made it up.  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
  
  
Link's eyes snapped open as he was flung violently across the length of his and Lance's cabin. He smashed into the wooden wall near the door and struggled to his feet.  
  
As soon as he stood up he was thrown violently towards the bunk and nearly missed knocking himself out. Shakily he clutched at his bed, confused and disoriented. Then he realized it was a storm, and by the sound (and feel) of it, it was a big one.  
  
He managed to crawl to the door, his fingers digging between the cracks of the boards, praying that the ship itself wouldn't be torn apart.  
  
Link opened the door and immediately wished he hadn't. Water poured in, roaring angrily and flinging him back to his bunk.  
  
Hurriedly Link snatched up his pouch and tied it steadfast to his belt, which he put around his waist. There was no time to put on a shirt; he'd have to go out in pants and nothing else.  
  
Had he known what would happen, he would have brought one.  
  
  
  
It was a struggle for survival as Link staggered his way across the deck. The whole crew, soldiers included, were bailing the water out in order to keep the ship afloat.  
  
Link found Lance hauling water just like the rest of them, only too close to the railing for his liking. The Hero of Time fought his way over to the young sailor and shouted at the top of his lungs,  
  
"How long has this been going on?!"  
  
"For an hour!" yelled the dark-blue-haired teenager. "Didn't really get violent until ten minutes ago! I 'spect the worse hasn't even begun, so hold onto yer hat, ger fada!"  
  
Without warning the ship bucked fiercely and everyone was thrown into the air, even those who were clinging for dear life.  
  
'The might of this storm isn't a coincidence,' Link thought frantically, reaching for purchase as he was flung overboard.  
  
"MATEY!" Lance screamed over the angry howls of wind and rain. "LINK!" Without a moment's hesitation he dived into the water after his friend.  
  
  
  
The world became a deadly muted thing, filled with dark blue-black water and flashes of lightning barely visible through the depths.  
  
Link fought madly to reach the surface, but all sense of orientation was lost and he had no idea which way would lead to sweet fresh air. He struggled angrily, refusing to give up, his eyes searching desperately for some sign...  
  
Unexpectedly something snatched at his foot, and Link screamed, forgetting for a bare second that he was underwater. But that one mistake cost him dearly; he began choking, and his lungs filled up with water as he was dragged deeper into the depths.  
  
  
  
Lance resurfaced and screamed out his friend's name. He looked around wildly, saw the ship, but the crew gave no sign that Link had been hauled back up. The young sailor made a strangled noise of despair and dived back under.  
  
  
  
Dawn came sweetly; the epilogue of a terrible disaster was always to make a beautiful exit. The wind whispered gently, forgetting its terrible anger so quickly. The clouds parted, promising a beautiful day.  
  
But the people aboard the ship Cloud Drifter felt no peace, saw no hope in the aftermath. Lance's searches had been fruitless; of course they had been futile from the beginning, but... people dwelled upon hope like plants upon sunshine. The hope died out by morning, when there was no sign whatsoever of the Hero of Time.  
  
Lance sat in the lookout, silent, mourning, tears unshed in his dark blue eyes. He had not been able to save his only friend. Even after Lance had assured protection of Link after Link had assured protection of him... none of it had been carried out.  
  
The young sailor grieved. He had failed to save the only person who could have made a difference in the war. He had been so caught up with his own problems with the Aquarians that he had not realized it also posed a danger to Link.  
  
Hylians. The Aquarians hated Hylians. And if they had somehow gotten to Link first... Lance didn't cherish the thought.  
  
  
  
"He's so close to death, let him die," a gruff voice said angrily.  
  
"Nonsense," a firmer female voice countered. "We need his help. Assentia would not have sent the storm had we not needed his help, Volar."  
  
"I still don't think it's a good idea," said the one named Volar. "A Hylian? Disgusting that we would stoop to the level of the land livers to solve our problems. You, Preya, have no honor."  
  
"Volar, there is no honor in our situation. You kill or you die. And I refuse to die without a fight."  
  
  
  
Link slowly opened his eyes. He had no idea where he was, or what had happened. He remembered crawling out of his cabin, but after that... his head hurt to think about it.  
  
"You're awake," a gentle voice stated serenely. "Good. Tell Preya to come here immediately." The Hero of Time sat up abruptly and winced. A dull pulse of pain began at the very center of his brain, but he refused to give in. At the moment, anyway. "I am Prince Kellen of the Aquarians. And you are Link, the Hero of Time. Welcome to Aquaria, our city."  
  
"Wha...?" The blonde teenager blinked dazedly. "How did I get here? I was on Cloud Drifter not too long ago..." The prince nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"Yes, we know. We saved you from a terrible death of drowning, in order to bring you down here."  
  
"...I thought... Lance... Lance told me that Aquarians hated Hylians..." Kellen closed his eyes for a moment and sighed wistfully.  
  
"Yes, that's the common belief. Most of us still do. However, the ones who know better do not. Fortunately for you, I am one of those few. We need your help. Had we not, we would have never sent the storm." Link's eyes narrowed in anger.  
  
"You sent the storm? Why? Did you give any consideration to what I wanted? I was on a mission to go to Ontharn and save the country of Selinta and a friend, but obviously you think your problems are far more important than mine are. And so now you're going to use the fact that you saved my life against me, to get me to do whatever the hell you please? Damn you."  
  
"Listen, Link. Your war is our war. A terrible event has set off a chain of reactions so utterly destructive that we all had to swallow our pride and ask for your help. Would you have me get down on my knees and beg?" Link said nothing, but his face lost the indignant look it had acquired. "Thank you. I promise you, we will not harm you, and we will deliver you to Ontharn safely."  
  
  
  
"So what do you want me to do?" Link asked, after he had rested well and eaten a little. They were walking swiftly down a marble hallway, towards a destination unknown to the Hero of Time. "And if this is underwater, then I'm the Queen of Rinthen." Prince Kellen laughed softly, and shook his head.  
  
"No, this is what we call an Air Bubble. It would be terribly inconvenient to live in water and have to adjust our diet accordingly. It would be horrible to eat raw food. No, we live in giant Air Bubbles. Of course, there are times when some of us prefer to live in the water and then come in here to eat, but no matter.  
  
"You see, my brother, Prince Venoli, went hunting several days ago, and when he returned, he was bloody and badly injured. He told of a great deep- sea monster that was loose, and only yesterday we received news that one of our neighboring cities, Cyberian Citadel, was attacked and ravaged horribly.  
  
"We want you to seek out and destroy the monster."  
  
  
  
Link stopped in his tracks, utterly nonplussed.  
  
"You want me to destroy that monster? Why didn't you just send out some of your army or something..." Prince Kellen shook his head.  
  
"I'm afraid we can't do that. There is an air of superstition about this monster. It is said that it is only released when the Daughter of a God is fallen, and the Temple of Life is deteriorating. No Aquarian wants to be cursed, Link."  
  
"...So you're going to send me to take the curse for you. That seems completely safe and utterly fair."  
  
"I apologize, Link, but we thought, since perhaps you are not Aquarian, the curse would not affect you."  
  
"Well, I guess it depends on the curse."  
  
"The curse is that one who unsuccessfully attempts to slay the monster will be forever condemned to the Dark Depths, a black ugly hole at the bottom of the cavern where the monster emerged."  
  
"Well, I could be cursed. And then I'd be dead down there. I think it'll affect me." The prince looked warily at Link.  
  
"Please, we need your help. We had heard tales of your bravery in defeating the unholy Ganondorf. We ask of you, Link, to help us. Would you so eagerly turn your back against a cry for help?" The Hero of Time sighed.  
  
"Everybody thinks I'm absolutely wonderful ever since I defeated Ganondorf and had him sealed in the Sacred Realm, but no one ever takes into consideration just what I want. I want to find someone... to share this with. Lance, my friend, has helped me considerably since Jeremy died, but... it's not enough. Every time I think I'm ready to settle down a little, something like this comes up. Fight a war, slay a monster, rescue a girl... It's... it's too much. I started this whole 'fighting evil' business when I was ten... and I haven't had a day of rest since then, and if I had, it was because I was injured.  
  
"But I'll help you. I won't like it, but I will. And I need to get to Ontharn as soon as possible."  
  
"We will do all in our power to assist you, my friend," Kellen replied delightedly. "Thank you, Link! You truly are the Hero of Time!" 


	9. Underwater Battle

Ah... I think this is one of my better chapters, there is fighting! Yes! Some, not a lot, but fighting nonetheless. *plays Super Smash Brothers Melee* Not like this kind of fighting, but oh well. ^____^  
  
Note: The first set of brackets represents something Link is remembering, and the second is.... well, you'll understand when you get there.  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
  
  
King Viru of the Tophetians stood on the highest balcony of Castle Hellis, situated in the center of the Miasma River. His eyes, so dark they were nearly black, scanned the horizon for any signs of enemy ships.  
  
"Milord, I have some... bad news for you," a young squire named Intol announced rather nervously as he bowed deeply. "There is news of a Selintan war ship heading back to port in Selinta... carrying Hylian soldiers."  
  
"What?" The Tophetian King turned to face the squire. "Hylian soldiers?"  
  
"Yes, Milord... and the Hero of Time is... well... said to be on one of them. Our spies picked up this information directly from Ontharn..." With three fluid steps Viru was in front of Intol. He reached for the squire's neck, seized it, and lifted him up. His dark eyes glinted with rage as he growled into the young Tophetian's face,  
  
"I want Link dead. Dead, do you understand me? I don't care if you have to hire an assassin, or the God of Death himself, to destroy Link, but see to it that he is out of the picture. I don't need that meddlesome teenager to ruin all my glory." 'Or perhaps... through other matters,' thought the King, dropping the squire and turning away, a malicious smile forming on his face.  
  
  
  
["If you can defeat the sea monster and return to us, Link, then we are forever in your debt. This is your ultimatum."  
  
"And if I don't?"  
  
"...Then I am afraid that there is no other alternative. If you do not defeat this monster, it is highly probably that you will be killed or imprisoned eternally. I ask of you, please destroy this evil."]  
  
  
  
Link fashioned himself with the iron boots, thanking the goddesses every few seconds that he had remembered to put on his pouch before leaving his cabin. What had possessed him to do that, he didn't know, but he was simply grateful to have done so.  
  
The tunic he received from King Zora would come in quite handy, Link thought as he donned it and tightened his belt securely. Prince Kellen entered the room, hands folded in the large sleeves. Oddly enough, the Hero of Time was reminded of a much younger (and far more comely) Rauru.  
  
"Are you ready, Hero of Time?" asked the Prince of the Aquarians, his oddly colored eyes regarding Link with hope.  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
It was a mad flight through the deep blue depths, and Link was sorely disappointed when it ended. An exhilarating ride on the bony back of a seahorse was something he'd never forget.  
  
"There is Cyberian Citadel," Prince Kellen pointed with one hand. Link noticed an odd look had come over the prince's face; fear. Not even during his speeches had such a look come over his face. The nineteen-year-old felt uncomfortable.  
  
"That is where I last saw the creature. For all the gods and goddesses of the water, I would never like to encounter it again!" Prince Venoli shuddered, turning away as though shamed. "I am heading back to Aquaria, brother. I cannot stand the sight of this destruction." He gigged his seahorse and they flew off into the dark water. Prince Kellen turned his attention to Link.  
  
"I know talking would be difficult for you underwater, even with the aid of your special tunic, so I shall tell you everything I know about this. I remember the legends of this monster, and they say its weak spot lies in its mouth. That is all I really know." The prince shook his head and frowned. "I apologize that I cannot aid you, Link, but I have a kingdom to look over—"  
  
"I understand, just go," Link replied carefully, not really paying attention. He gigged his seahorse and began to ride closer to the ruined city. Prince Kellen stared after him. The Hero of Time had had an odd look on his face, a look of utter repose and fearlessness.  
  
"Truly, a brave soul," murmured Kellen as he turned and burst off after his brother.  
  
  
  
Link gigged his seahorse and they leapt forward, gliding through the water slowly. His bright eyes searched anxiously for any sign of life, the hand holding the gently pulsing lantern thrust before him as they swam closer to the ruined city.  
  
'I can't imagine where it'd be hiding, if it was as big as they say it is,' mused the Hero of Time as they weaved through the fallen monoliths and broken bits of building.  
  
Behind him, a twin pair of crimson eyes opened and followed his movements.  
  
  
  
Link hopped off his seahorse. His iron boots made a muted thump as he landed gently on the ground. There would be no hope of using his bow; the wood of the arrows was waterlogged, and he would have to buy entirely ones. His sword, perhaps? The Master Sword certainly would not rust, he thought as he drew it.  
  
'No shield; it will hinder my movement—'  
  
Without warning there was a muted roar behind him, and before Link could whirl around, something latched around his waist and lifted him up fiercely. Yelling in surprise, the Hero of Time struggled valiantly to free his pinned arms, but to no avail. He found himself looking directly in the mad, staring eye of the ugliest creature he had ever encountered, and that was saying quite a lot.  
  
Mucus-like algae hung off the craggy cliffs of its eyebrows and wavered in the water like little fins. Jagged, blackened teeth and several remaining stumps thereof posed threats of impalement as the creature leer hungrily at him. Dark, knowing eyes bored into him piercingly.  
  
With a mute, thunderous cry the monster lunged towards him, snapping its jaws with frightening force. Link hopped back and was bowled over by his seahorse, which was speeding off back to Aquaria. Mentally cursing himself for not tethering the damn animal (How would he get back now?), the Hero of Time scrambled to his feet and managed a sort of hopping skip away from the creature, which was rousing itself out of its spot.  
  
The blonde teenager jumped and forced onto climb a short, rocky cliff. He turned around and wielded the Master Sword. Seeing the creature smash its way out of its burrowed resting place, the Hero of Time realized that although the Master Sword had mythical, magical powers, it would not have enough brute strength to defeat the creature. Link put it away and concentrated on his Biggoron's Sword in his mind, then pulled the sword out of the sheath strapped to his back.  
  
'I love enchanted sheaths,' he thought distractedly, hopping back as the creature roared again and flew through the water at him. He rolled and dove off the cliff, narrowly escaping having his head bitten off. He thrust upward with the giant sword and relished the scream of agony that the monster peeled forward. With all his might Link tugged it out and darted under the craggy cliff just as the monster's tail slammed into it above his head. Rocks and plants showered down on him, but for the most part, he was protected. Dark blood began billowing in the water, clouding his view.  
  
'Dammit,' he thought, trying in vain to clear the water with the tip of his sword. He felt the monster's screams vibrate on the ground beneath him. It lunged at him again, eyes maddened and red, mouth open and teeth ready. Link dodged out of the way at the last moment, but not before he felt one of the blackened stumps grate his side. Pain flared in a screeching rush and the Hero of Time stifled a gasp. His own blood began to float on the water. Several dark shapes were in the distance, and growing larger. 'Oh no... sharks...' His mind moaned in horror but some deep warrior instinct in Link forced him to concentrate on the problem at hand, before he was nearly decapitated again.  
  
The monster was now in obvious pain, blood pouring out faster. It seemed as though the Biggoron's Sword had punctured some vital organ, perhaps the stomach or liver, and now the creature was slowly dying. But no matter; it was still extremely dangerous. Link did an awkward roll and his side throbbed in protest. He felt the monster whoosh by overhead, and thrust up again, into the monster's jaw.  
  
With a maddening, almost deafening screech (even underwater) its whole body convulsed wildly, and the sword's hilt was wrenched out of his grasp. Link uttered a shout as the creature's tail smacked him and he went flying underneath the rocky face. He knew no more as the sharks arrived; they began to feast madly upon the flesh of the monster that had so terrorized the Aquarians.  
  
  
  
["...He's extremely lucky to be alive... This poison, I've not seen anything like it. So terrible it is that he would fall into the Deep Sleep, but hopefully, this draught will at least restore his health, if not his consciousness."  
  
"What of the state he was found in?"  
  
"When our forces arrived, the monster lay dead and the sharks feasted upon its carcass. His sword was retrieved as well; it was lodged in the monster's throat, pointed away from its mouth opening. Such a battle it could have been, but now... Now the battle is for his life against whatever poisons may have been in its teeth. I fear the worst. He may never wake."  
  
"He must. I don't care what herbs or potions you have to acquire, he must be saved. Do you understand, Preya?"  
  
"Yes, of course, Sire, but I don't know of anything that would cure such a terrible ailment."  
  
"Then /find/ one that will, or invent one. Look in the Ancient Myth section of our library. There has to be something. His gallant deed shall not be rewarded with endless sleep! It is not fitting for a warrior of his strength and courage."] 


	10. Legends of Timeless Heroes...

Some more rambling about legends and other neat stuff.  
  
  
  
WARNING: Many heroes with funky names and many evil people with funky names. See the end of the chapter for phonetic pronunciation (if you're really that interested).  
  
  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
  
  
Takuin, the High Priest of Life, stood before the sacred altar in the Temple of Life. His head was bowed in immense concentration; it was not easy to summon Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom. She was, by far, the most difficult of the three Golden Goddesses to summon. However, her venerable counsel was needed sorely; many of the ancient and revered parts of the temple were decaying rapidly, as though undergoing a time warp of geologic proportions.  
  
[Thee hath summoned my counsel, High Priest of Light. I am here. Speak freely of your quandaries.]  
  
'Nayru, oh Great Golden Goddess, hear my cry,' he pleaded mentally. 'The great and powerful Temple of Life is deteriorating and naught that I do can help it. I ask of thee thy wise counsel, so that this impasse may be corrected.' There was a silence. The lit candles on the altar flickered, as though depicting the goddess's deep thought.  
  
[Thy cry is heard, Takuin, and thee shall not be turned away. We see in part that there shall be one, the Timeless Hero, who shall come and vanquish the dark spirits that haunt our temple. Thy shall not have prayed in vain.]  
  
'When shall this hero come?' inquired Takuin hopefully. The Goddesses knew all and saw all, but something... something in the temple could avoid their foresight and destroy it freely. This 'Timeless Hero' must be extraordinary if the Goddesses were going to send him... or her...  
  
[The Timeless Hero is not ready. Thee must be patient. There is much council to occur between we three before thy plea is placated. We know not of the dark spirits haunting thy temple and thy sleep, Takuin. They escape our minds.]  
  
'Surely, this is bad. Are you sure you cannot?'  
  
[This we know, and thus we say; we do not know of them. Their presence is strange and evil, this is what we know, and only what we know. Thy perseverance in attempting to answer all thy questions is admirable, but we have no time for thy curious interrogation. We depart to the skies, Takuin, and the Timeless Hero draws closer to thee yet.] A great weight seemed to lift off the High Priest of Life's shoulders, and the elderly Hylian relaxed somewhat. If the Goddesses decreed that his temple should be saved, eventually, then he should not pursue the matter.  
  
'I was foolish; annoying the goddesses is something one must avoid,' Takuin thought to himself nervously, rising to his feet. His robe billowed around him like a majestic golden aura. Tucking his arms into his sleeves, he shuffled off to the main gate to see if any visitors had arrived.  
  
  
  
The Rock Ring of Doom surrounding the great island often prevented many ships from entering the water beyond it, and the majority of the time caused death and destruction among the crews.  
  
Because of this, rarely anyone arrived at the Port of Infinity, but when they did, there was a wild, hungry look in their eyes that spoke of their quest for the Temple of Life.  
  
According to legend, the Temple of Life would grant revival to fallen peoples of the world. Yet with every legend came drawbacks; the Temple of Life was situated in the center of the world's rockiest most dangerous mountains and cliffs. The path was perilous and death was ever present. Hardly a person made it to the temple unwounded; many died along the way, and more turned back.  
  
But those who continued along the dangerous journey and persevered through the hardships found the temple. It was a beautiful, ancient replica of the Temple of Light, which was situated in the Sacred Realm. The bones of all heroes from bygone days rested in the front courtyard of the Temple of Life.  
  
  
  
The legend of the first emergence of a hero was said to come from the heavens on a fiery chariot of chaos. Born from the fallen star, Raveth Lagesia traveled to the Temple of Life and liberated it from the unspeakable evil of Scianei, the rogue Lord of Death. But before this, Raveth journeyed to the Southern Runes, which was a land of its own before Hyrule's birth. There he implored the Fire Dragon to forge him the most powerful sword. Volcanis did, and the ancient manuscripts become hazy there; some say he was the first to find Tsunami, while others claim he took the sword to Avatara to be blessed, and still others believe that the sword was empowered by Ententé. No one knows for sure exactly how the Master Sword received its magical powers, but one thing is certain; it was used to emancipate Shadeius from the grasp of Scianei.  
  
A millennium later, however, the next hero came forth, wielding the Master Sword. He looked so much like the remarkable Raveth that many believed Riken was his son, even though much time had passed. But there was substantial evidence that he was not; born and raised in Kreya, Riken claimed to have found the Master Sword embedded deeply in the headstone of Orbian.  
  
Riken is most commonly referred to as Raveth's Son, but this belief is a chronological impossibility. However, his most noteworthy deed was the Unity of the Realms, which bound the Sacred Realm to the Realm of Eternal Darkness, and made them coexist in harmony with one another. There were followers of each Realm, and many bloody battles ensued to try and enforce their beliefs upon one another. Riken stopped this problem by creating Aounto, the Center of the Unity of Realms, which forced reconciliation between the two divisions of peoples. Nowadays the two religions are scarcely practiced. A rather adequate explanation of the two religions would be the Yin-Yang; one cannot exist without the other. Riken made this so. Aounto serves as the thin line between the two forces.  
  
The list goes on through the ages: Raveth, Riken, Kirin, Orison, Laithe, Rawn, and the last known Hero of Legend was Kiefer, who saved the Ancient Sages from certain doom at the hands of Grineth, when the demon king rose once more from his banishment. Afterwards, Kiefer journeyed to the Temple of Life to join the others in the final rest that awaits us all.  
  
  
  
Of all this Takuin knew, and much more; a High Priest of Life had to know all the legends, folklore, and myths of each and every country, sect, and family. Only Ententé granted this knowledge, although it remained unseen through it all.  
  
Dayen, Takuin's faithful young friend, was waiting patiently by the Front Gates atop his devoted steed, the white Djinn. Dayen was the only one who knew the secret shortcut to the Temple of Life; Takuin had told him thus in order to keep tabs on any who might be brave enough to take the perilous path. Dayen could be trusted; the Light Dragon blessed him, and that was enough.  
  
"Hile, Takuin," greeted the young swordsman cheerfully, a broad smile on his smooth features. "How goes it?"  
  
"There is good news, but there is bad news," replied the priest heavily, shaking his head from side to side. Dayen's smile faded and a troubled look replaced it.  
  
"Tell me the bad news."  
  
"No, the good news first. Nayru has decreed the arrival of the next hero." Dayen's face lit up like the sun.  
  
"Aye... 'tis good news!"  
  
"The bad news comes in a set... the first part is that the Temple of Life is continuing to decay, at an even faster rate, and the second part is that the hero who comes to save it... She told me not when he would come..." The young swordsman winced painfully.  
  
"That isn't good, friend Takuin. Shall I try another Cleansing Spell?" The High Priest of Life shook his head again. With his friend his speech became less archaic, to the younger's relief.  
  
"No, Dayen. You should use your magic sparingly. Who knows when the next ship will come, and make it through with Magic Restorative as well. What news of ships?"  
  
"Several more crashed upon the Rock Ring of Doom," sighed Dayen unhappily. "One of them could have made it had they only veered more to the left..."  
  
"Too bad it is far easier to leave this place than to get here," Takuin remarked dully. "Ah well. What is it to me? I am merely the guardian of an old relic that falls apart around my ears. It is not in my place to judge what is wise."  
  
"If every ship could get through safely, the Temple of Life would no longer serve its purpose. Anyone could bring back a fallen friend or relative," snorted the swordsman, reprimanding Djinn patiently. The wild horse was becoming bored in its idle position. "There's a purpose for bad things, Takuin. Surely you know this."  
  
"They could have been innocent," murmured the High Priest, turning back to the temple and indicating their meeting was over. "All of them, they could have been so innocent..."  
  
  
  
PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION OF NAMES  
  
Some of these names are more important than others; most are just mentioned in passing and will probably retreat to the deepest recesses of my mind.  
  
The letters/words in capitals indicate which syllable should be stressed. Some of these are not direct phonetic pronunciations, but what the hey, I can't even say some of these names. ^__^  
  
Takuin: Ty-COO-in.  
  
Dayen: DAY-yin  
  
Raveth Lagesia: RA-veth La-GESS-sia  
  
Riken: RY-ken  
  
Kirin: Keer-in  
  
Orison: OR-uh-son  
  
Laithe: LAYTH  
  
Rawn: Ron (Simple, eh?)  
  
Kiefer: KY-fur  
  
Grineth: Greh-neth  
  
Scianei: SKY-uh-NAY  
  
Ententé: en-ten-TAY (Not to be confused with the actual word, entente, which is pronounced 'ahn-tant.')  
  
Shadeius: Shay-DAY-us  
  
Aounto: Eh, say it however you feel like, it's bound to be confused. ^^;; 


	11. Arrival in Ontharn

Chapter Eleven  
  
  
  
Four days after Link had slain the Creature of the Depths, Cloud Drifter pulled into Ashara's seaport. The entire mood of the crew was downhearted and miserable; by now Link had to be dead. Lance took it the hardest of all of them, and rarely spoke and no longer smiled. Captain Danto had also taken it to heart, believing that the loss of Link meant a failure of his captaincy.  
  
"Well, we are here." King Edward and Queen Eloisa had left on another ship, during Link's coma, in order to escape any possible attack on Cloud Drifter, which had surely been spotted by Tophetians when it left Ashara. Captain Danto looked around. General Aston looked slightly ill; even being on a ship for a long while wouldn't cure seasickness, Lance supposed, noticing the general's discomfort. "It's time to begin the march. Three days to Ontharn. King Edward and Queen Eloisa should already have arrived in secret."  
  
  
  
The assembled Hylian troop gathered for a quick meal and break before beginning the long march to Selinta's capital. More ships with Hylian troops would be sent later on, as the raging war continued, in order to continuously reinforce their side's supplies and men. Supposedly this technique would make it seem as though the Royal Hylian Army was never ending, but somehow Lance doubted it.  
  
What really got to him was how in the name of the Golden Goddesses Jonathan had ever been allowed to become a Royal Soldier. The young teenager was loud, rude, and spoke ill of Link, even after his disappearance into the ocean. Many of the other soldiers and all of the ship's crew resented Jonathan, and on more than one occasion General Aston had to chastise the teenager soundly.  
  
'May curses and blights never cease,' he thought sourly, watching Link's rival boast of how he had bested the Hero of Time in a sword fight a year ago. 'What a shameless lie 'tis, aye.' The southern sea accent grew on him, and Lance embraced it. The friendly people with their beautiful women, good food, and strong drink... He missed them. He missed the Miya' Tana, its crew, and his father, the captain.  
  
He missed Link.  
  
The life of a soldier wasn't for him; at least, not without his good friend, Link. In a short time it seemed as though they had grown close, although they hadn't spoken much or found out common interests.  
  
'Bound by destiny, I reckon,' the young sailor thought, ignoring his bowl of soup and his ration of bread. His appetite was gone. How could Link be killed so ungraciously, in such a manner unbefitting his courage and strength? It just wasn't right somehow.  
  
  
  
Link had no concept of time anymore; it was periods of waking and periods of sleeping and those hazy moments in between. When someone put water to his lips, he drank. He took the medicine he was given, and slept when a comforting voice bade him do so. His whole body seemed to be weak and unable to move, and his side throbbed during every waking moment.  
  
However, this time when he woke up, all pain was gone and his side was bandaged tightly. His body felt renewed and strengthened; the medicine had done its work. A young Aquarian woman was standing next to his bed, alongside Prince Kellen.  
  
"Link, Hero of Time, you did it!" exclaimed the Prince of the Aquarians joyfully. "You've slain the monster!"  
  
"Huh...?" The blonde teenager blinked, surprise. "When?"  
  
"About five days ago!" Preya looked a trifled amused. "You mean to say that you don't remember?" He shook his head. His memories were a little fuzzy; the last thing he could recollect was riding his seahorse to the ruined city. After that it was gray and hazy. "Maybe the poison or the antidote had something to do with your memory loss..."  
  
"As long as I know who I am and where I come from, I'm fine," he replied, but even that was a lie. Who was he, and where did he come from? The Deku Tree Sprout only told him that he was a Hylian, not who his parents were—  
  
"Oh, I have several things for you," Kellen announced, startling the teenager's reverie. The prince issued Preya an urging look, and the herbalist turned and left, closing the door after her. Out of one of his robe's pockets he pulled forth a rather large, spherical object. Link looked at it with some interest, but it only looked like a plain, black ball.  
  
"...What is it?" He could not guess what a black ball could possibly do for him, or his weariness. Kellen's eyes widened slightly.  
  
"Ah... so I suppose I never did explain the rest of the legend... My people cut up the monster's body, and this was found lodged in its stomach. It's a powerful magical tool, used for summoning beasts of any area. It's believed that the Night Dragon forged it, but no one can be sure. I want you to have it, as a reward for your bravery and strength." The blonde teenager accepted the plain, black ball with some puzzlement.  
  
"Oh. Thanks..." Link set it on the table next to the cot he was lying on. "I'll put it in my pouch later." Kellen drew a chair closer to the bed and sat down on it.  
  
"That is only half of what I am going to give you. However, this is not particularly for you." The prince took something out of his other pocket. It was a beautiful silver necklace embedded with deep blue sapphires. Link stared at it with some wonder. Not even at the celebration party, after Hyrule Castle was complete, when royalty from all over the world attended, had he seen anything so elegant or wondrous. "This belonged to my dear friend Aya, before she died of the wasting disease." The look on Link's face must have revealed his surprise, so Kellen explain. "Not even down here can we escape the wasting disease. This was left in her will for me to keep safe and protect. However, there are other evil forces at work down here." Kellen's eyes blazed angrily. "Politicians are a force not even you could hope to defeat, and if it fell into their hands..."  
  
"What's so important about it?" interrupted the Hero of Time. "It looks like a beautiful necklace and nothing more."  
  
"There is always something deeper and more mystical to these things, my friend. This necklace is known to bring extraordinarily charisma to anyone who wears it. You might say it captivates an audience; you could enthrall the people with a market list whilst wearing this. As you could guess, politicians want it so that they may become even more powerful in the government of our peoples. But I don't want certain people to gain more power. I have a feeling that one of them is going to betray me." The prince shifted his gaze to the floor. "And I fear my own brother may be behind it all. So I want you to have this. Tell no one about it, and let no one see it, especially any Aquarian. If they believe I still have it, they won't harm you to get it. You'll take it with you when we go to Selinta."  
  
"When do we leave? Lance and the others must be worried sick..." Link's face fell. Dismay tugged at his heart. Maybe they never made it to Ashara, or Tophetian warriors intercepted them, or anything could have prevented them from reaching Selinta's main port.  
  
"We'll leave tomorrow, after the morning meal," Kellen assured. He carefully handed the necklace to Link. After the prince left so that he could get some rest, Link stared down at the necklace with some awe.  
  
The craftsmanship was excellent, and every jewel seemed to be carved perfectly to fit each crater melded especially for it. They sparked and glimmered invitingly under the bright glows of the lamps.  
  
'Even if it didn't bring glamour, I bet people would still kill for it,' he thought, and that alone brought him back to ground. It wasn't time to fool around and admire baubles given to him; if Prince Kellen wanted him to take care of it, then he would have to. 'As soon as I get back to Hyrule, I'm going to give this to Rauru to take care of,' he thought, leaning over and grasping the black ball. Link rummaged through his clothes, which were lying limply at the foot of his bed, found his pouch, and placed them in it. Then the nineteen-year-old fell back and went to sleep.  
  
  
  
In the dark hours of late evening, under the empty black sky, Lance sneaked away from the campgrounds to lie in the grass and stare into infinity, as he had often done on his father's ship in the lookout.  
  
The night was young, although after a hard day's march many soldiers had turned in. The young sailor, unable to sleep and sick with despair, sought after solitude and peace among the grassy hills of Selinta. It was cloudy and there were no stars visible, but a silver coin of a moon peeked through. Lying down on the grass, Lance stared into the infinity, which watched over the lands with its quiet detachment.  
  
How could Link be taken away so quickly and ruthlessly? The teenager closed his eyes and sighed wistfully, feeling sorrow prick at the corners of his eyes. The Hero of Time laid low by a mighty storm. No more fanciful tales of heroism and gallantry; Link was good and dead in his watery grave.  
  
'I could've saved ye, matey, had I only been quicker or more careful,' he thought unhappily. As was customary, he took all the blame upon himself. 'I've brought yet bad luck, I knows it, and I wish I coulda done something to save ye...'  
  
  
  
Seahorse riding was just as exhilarating as Link remembered it. Racing through the thick water at speeds Epona could only dream about brought on a new rebirth of life and exuberance that the Hero of Time never recalled feeling before. Prince Kellen rose beside him at the breakneck speed, saying nothing, only concentrating on the darkness before them. The lanterns provided little light, despite their brightness. The inky blackness crowded around them, but Link could feel no fear on such a thrilling ride.  
  
"We're nearly there, Link," the prince called out, every word perfectly coherent, even in the suppressing water. "Let's head to the surface!" Both seahorses veered upward. Faintly there was a soft glow, and it grew brighter as they approached air. "Stop, Link!" The Hero of Time pulled on his seahorse's reins and both riders came to a halt. "This is where we depart. Selinta is just that way. I must go back with both horses now. Can you swim?"  
  
"Of course," the blonde replied, dismounting but holding onto the reins so that he would not float upward. "Thank you, Kellen, for taking care of me." Gratitude was just flattering word for resentment, but he meant it sincerely. The prince smiled as his took hold of the seahorse's reins.  
  
"No, Link. Thank you for saving my people. You must visit again, though hopefully not in the same, troubling manner. Your feat will go down in history. I bid you a safe journey. Long days and fair nights!" With that, the prince turned the seahorses and they raced off. Link was already speeding upward toward the surface, and nothing tasted as good as the first breath of fresh air that he took in.  
  
Indeed, Selinta was just in front of him. It would only take several minutes to swim to shore. But how far from Ontharn was he? Kellen had said that he would be dropped off near Ontharn, but it was not a port city. It might take the rest of the day to walk to the city, and Link couldn't be sure which direction it lay in after he had arrived onshore.  
  
'I'll worry about that later. For now, I've got to swim,' he thought, shaking off his worries and concentrating on getting to land.  
  
  
  
The Royal Hylian Army broke camp early and began to march at once. There was no time to waste; the war raged, and Selinta needed help badly. Lance tried his best to ignore Jonathan's haughty claims and false statements, but after a while it grew aggravating, especially since most of it involved how great he, Jonathan, was, and how plain Link happened to be.  
  
"...and can you believe that he turned down Princess Zelda's offer of marriage? What normal man would do that?" scoffed the young soldier, shaking his head. "Something's not right about Link. He could be working for the dark spirits for all we know."  
  
"Then why bother to save Hyrule?" An older, wiser soldier cut in, obviously disgusted with Jonathan's blatant bashing of what he (the older soldier) considered to be a great hero. "If he were so evil, as you speak of him to be, then he wouldn't have saved our country a'tall, and you certainly wouldn't be here." Miffed, Jonathan immediately quieted, but Lance knew that he would not remain silent for long.  
  
"Don't look so glum, my boy," a gruff voice stated from Lance's right side. It was General Aston, who had fallen from the lead so that the young sailor might catch up with him. "A storm couldn't have killed Link off. That boy is harder to get rid of than weeds, mark my words. I bet he'll be waiting in Ontharn for us."  
  
"Do you think?" Lance wasn't in the mood for false consolation. The general nodded.  
  
"I believe it, lad. Link's a fighter. There's no way the goddesses would have taken him from us so rudely, and when we need him most."  
  
  
  
Link arrived in Ontharn several hours after he had reached shore, dripping wet and hungry, but never had he seen such action or such wonder in a city before.  
  
The capital of Selinta was enormously large, and spread out over a vast, grassy plain, although not so grassy after they had built their city on it. Tall buildings, nearly as tall as the great castle situated in the center of the city, loomed all around him.  
  
And the people...  
  
All sorts of races, from Hylian to Kreyan to Veian to Reptilian bustled from shop to shop, stand to stand, talking, shouting, and laughing, all at once. The cacophony was as nearly as large as the city, and Link had never been in such a metropolis before.  
  
'And to think I thought Hyrule Market was busy,' he thought, stupefied at the sight of so many people. Link began walking slowly down the street, brushing past people, trying to look everywhere at once and take all the sights in. He was still wet and hungry, but these matters were forgotten as his awe took over his thought.  
  
"Excuse me, sir! Sir! Excuse me..." Someone pushed his way through the crowd, trying to reach Link, who was oblivious to everything but his admiration of the city. "Excuse me, sir!" At last the person reached the Hero of Time and pulled on his sleeve. "Link!"  
  
"Huh?" The teenager turned and faced the person. "...Excuse me?"  
  
"Link, you're here! Where's the army?" The person was a middle-aged man, well built, wearing clothing embroidered with the Royal Crest of Selinta, and had the air of a general, although the friendly light in his eyes suggested otherwise. "Oh, I've been waiting to meet you so much...!"  
  
"Who are you?" Link was more than baffled now; he was downright confused. The man drew himself up and nodded curtly.  
  
"Oh, excuse me. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Mystu the Thirteenth. I met you at the Royal Celebration, when Hyrule Castle's reconstruction was complete." The man grasped Link's hand and shook it heartily. "I never introduced myself then, I was too star-struck. But it's an honor to finally meet you! I was just over there, about to go into a restaurant to grab a bite to eat, and I saw you walking by like you were hypnotized, and I knew I just had to grab you before you ran into something! So, are you hungry?"  
  
"Am I ever!" Link replied, having a little trouble pulling his hand from Mystu's overly excited grip.  
  
"Good! We'll go to the castle at once and let them know you're here. Er... where's the rest of the army?"  
  
"Oh... I'll explain on the way..."  
  
  
  
"So... you finally got here after all that," marveled Mystu as they approached the castle gates. "Well, you're not the Hero of Time for nothing... Heh, heh, heh..."  
  
"Who goes there?" called out one of the Guards of the Gate.  
  
"It's me, Mystu, and my good friend Link, the Hero of Time," he replied cheerfully. Link suppressed a sigh; some people loathed him, some people worshipped him. At the best of times it was hard to tell which was worse. The gates opened.  
  
"Come in at once. King Edward will be delighted."  
  
  
  
"...And you don't know when the army will arrive..." sighed the king, leaning back in his throne. Link stood upright and shook his head.  
  
"No, sir. I'm sorry." King Edward dismissed the apology.  
  
"Nonsense. It's not your fault at all. I can only pray that they'll get here soon... The Tophetian Army took another city last week. I only received the news this morning. Tyulia, it was. We can't afford to lose this war. Tyulia was our last stronghold to keep them at bay, and now that we've lost it, they'll head straight for Ashara." The King of Selinta rose to his feet and walked over to a large glass window and gazed out at the city. The Hero of Time watched silently, knowing the pressures of war and evil. He himself had felt it before. It wasn't much fun, being under stress and knowing one wrong move could mean losing everything. Edward sighed wistfully, then turned to face the young adult. "I suppose you're tired from your journey, Link."  
  
"No, sir, just a little hungry." As if to enforce this point, his stomach growled angrily. A smile came over the king's face.  
  
"And here I've been talking you to death. Mystu, please take Link to the kitchen and feed him a proper meal."  
  
"Yes, sire," replied the court officer, taking Link's arm and leading him out of the throne room. "Oh, you'll like the food here. I know the chef personally, and I'll see to it that he makes you an extra delicious meal. How's that, eh?" Link hadn't heard a word of what Mystu the Thirteenth had said; he had pulled free of the older's grasp and was staring at an elaborate painting on the wall.  
  
A beautiful, raven-haired teenager gazed lovingly at him from paint and poster. Long lashes framed twin pools of deep azure and a gentle smile graced her thin, supple lips. Her fragile body was clothed in an elegant dress of pure white, and a garland of roses bordered her lovely hair.  
  
Link simply could not believe that any woman could be as beautiful as the one in the painting. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, and his whole body grew feverish as he stared longingly at the magnificent artwork. It seem that heroics, despite the legends, left little time for romance and other frivolous activities.  
  
"Eh, Link...?" Mystu followed the Hero of Time's gaze and nodded understandingly. "Ah... I see... Many's the man that lost his heart to her, and none have claimed it yet. Maybe with your good looks and outstanding reputation, you'll snag her, eh?" The court officer nudged Link sharply in the ribcage. "You'll be meeting her tonight, at supper time, I'm sure. Right now she's doing her schooling lessons. And as for you, you needed to get some food in you, so follow me this way..."  
  
  
  
"There 'tis, the capital of Selinta, Ontharn," General Aston announced, taking his place at the head of the march. "We must make for the castle immediately. It's good food and good sleep for us tonight, boys!" The Royal Hylian Army cheered enthusiastically and began to march at the quickstep to the castle gates.  
  
  
  
This was a long chapter (nearly seven full pages), and I'm not sure how I feel about Lance angsting over Link (I still have no idea exactly how their relationship works). You yaoi fans, go ahead and have a field day, but the paths the characters take can surprise even the author of a story.  
  
  
  
Also, I'm trying to stay true to how a guy reacts when he sees a "hot chick," and since I'm not a guy, I don't think I quite captured Link's reaction. Before you condemn me for turning Link into some kind of manslut, please remember that he is a guy, and even the most faithful or honorable guys like thinking about and looking at pretty girls, especially when it involves making 'the beast with two backs.' *cough, cough* 


	12. A Royal Problem

Chapter Twelve  
  
  
  
Link could not recall a better meal than the one he had just finished eating. It felt as though his stomach was going to explode. Although he was quite sure he'd made a pig of himself in front of Mystu, the blonde teenager could not find the emotion to give a damn. At the moment, anyway. For now, all he wanted to do was sleep. The court officer seemed to sense this, and led the tired, sated fighter to an empty bedroom. After Mystu left, Link tossed off his shield and sheath, unbuckled his boots, and crawled under the sheets and passed into a deep sleep.  
  
  
  
["You're here... You made it! Please... There's something not right in this castle, there's a deep evil lurking about... I know you've lost your heart, but you have to concentrate on what's important. If you can find me and set me free, I'll explain everything... Please, Link, you're my last hope... This is the last time I can contact you, I've grown so weak..."  
  
"Where are you?" The Hero of Time spun around once, but all that remained was the impenetrable whiteness of his dreamscape. "How can I find you?" The voice hesitated, and when it spoke again, it was softer and more pleading.  
  
"I... I'm not sure... but...It must be high up, the sounds of the city are so far away... I'm in a tower, I don't know which one... It's getting worse, the evil is going to take over soon. It's the work of King Viru..."  
  
"King... Viru...?"]  
  
  
  
Lance stared wonderingly around the great front hall. They had arrived a couple hours after General Aston had sighted Ontharn, and now the young sailor wanted nothing more than to take a nice, long nap. Either that or a good, hot bath. Both would be great, too.  
  
"Ah, General Aston!" King Edward greeted, cheered at the sight of the Hylian general. "I was expecting you sometime soon! Link arrived only several hours beforehand—"  
  
"Link is here?!" exclaimed the general, completely surprised and delighted. The entire troop turned its attention to the king, utterly shocked. The King of Selinta nodded.  
  
"Yes, he explained that he was caught in an unfortunate situation during a terrible storm, and has only just arrived here today. I'm sure Mystu, my court officer, can direct you to his whereabouts." King Edward nodded to a guard. "Daniel, seek out Mystu and bring him here at once." The designated soldier saluted smartly and marched off in search of the court officer.  
  
"This is great! We thought him dead!" The general was overcome with relief, and closed his eyes and sighed wearily. "Oh, my aching bones. I'm not the bright-eyed lad I once was, I suppose..." King Edward nodded in agreement.  
  
"Nor I. I shall summon some servants at once to bring your soldiers refreshment."  
  
  
  
As soon as he heard that Link was in the castle, Lance was off like a shot toward the hallways. Not one to sit around and wait, the young sailor wanted to be the first to greet the Hero of Time, overjoyed that his friend was alive and well.  
  
"Excuse me... Lance...?" A timid voice called out as he passed by another hallway. The eighteen-year-old stopped and looked over his shoulder. Mystu the Fourteenth, the renowned artist of Selinta, was standing there, looking a bit happy to see his old friend.  
  
"Mystu! How are ye?" Lance clapped the young teenager heartily on the back. The artist coughed nervously.  
  
"I'm fine, Lance, and I trust you are well, too. What brings you to Ontharn, friend?"  
  
"Ayuh, I'm marching with the Royal Hylian Army, to help Selinta's defense against the Tophetians," replied the sailor cheerfully. Mystu the Fourteenth nodded.  
  
"I see. And you're around these halls because...?"  
  
"I'm lookin' fer me matey, Link. He came in earlier today. We lost 'im in a big storm, and we all thought he were dead, but t'ain't so! D'ye know where he is?"  
  
"I... I think I might..." Mystu adjusted his glasses carefully. "The guest quarters are down this hallway, shall we go, then?"  
  
  
  
Link opened his eyes groggily and sat up, groaning with the effort. His muscles ached from his dogged swim and trek to Ontharn, and somehow the nap wasn't quite as refreshing as he had hoped it would be.  
  
Fragments of his dream lingered, but the Hero of Time brushed them aside like week-old cobwebs; he didn't have time to decipher the cryptic meaning of them. Let whoever it was die, for all he cared; his mind was only set on the Princess Cheyanna, and her lovely grace.  
  
"Matey, are ye in here?" A raucous voice called, and the door opened creakily. Lance and a younger teenager peered in dubiously. "Link-fada!" With a cry of joy and a tremendous bound Lance was at the side of the bed, hardly able to contain his mirth. "I thought ye were killed in that awful storm, but here y'are, and all is fine, neh?"  
  
"Lance, it's good to see you. A storm couldn't kill me, it takes more than that," scoffed the blonde, suppressing a smile at his incorrigible friend.  
  
"So, spill the beans, mate, and tell me what happened." Lance set himself in a chair and leaned forward with rapt attention as Link began to relate his adventure. Mystu nervously pulled a chair towards the bed and listened as well.  
  
  
  
By suppertime that night, the entire troop had met with Link and had shown their delight at having him back. All except Jonathan, of course, but that was to be expected. And Link couldn't wait for the evening meal; Princess Cheyanna would be there.  
  
"She's a rare beauty, she is," Mystu sighed lovingly as they filed into the large dining hall with the other soldiers and castle dwellers. "My favorite subject to work with. If I were a prince from another land, I'd surely court her. But alas, I only paint."  
  
"Mystu, I'd never pictured you the princess-marrying type," Lance chortled. "Link, here, he's got the looks, but turns all the lasses down. Even the princess types, eh?" Link looked uncomfortable; the mention of his 'rejection' of Princess Zelda made him feel rather guilty about the entire matter. It wasn't that Zelda wasn't lovely in looks and personality, it was just the extra baggage that came along with it, and being a king, well... would fit his lifestyle and vice versa. A hero rescues a damsel in distress, but that didn't mean they would marry. If that were the case, then he would have too many wives to count.  
  
"Yeah, sure," mumbled the blonde as he took a seat near the center of the table.  
  
"No, no, Link, you're the guest of honor here!" Mystu the Thirteenth called out, rapping a hand on the table. "Come with me." The Hero of Time shot Lance a helpless glance as the court officer dragged him towards the head of the table. The young sailor and artist followed after him.  
  
"But I... I'm fine, really," insisted Link as Mystu the Thirteenth sat him down next to the head of the table. "I'm quite sure the king would rather talk with General Aston—"  
  
"Oh, hello Link," greeted the man in question, taking a seat across from the Hero of Time. "Come to join me up here, eh? Good for you, lad." Aston smiled sincerely and settled into his seat.  
  
"Come, Mystu, we shall take our appropriate seats," the court officer said sternly to his son, taking his seat several places down from Aston, Link, and the head of the table. Sighing, the young artist joined his father. Lance, a bit confused, simply sat down next to Link and tried to look as though he belonged there.  
  
"Welcome, friends," bellowed King Edward in his most official voice, entering the dining room from the main doors. "Tonight we feast in honor of the soldiers from the Royal Hylian Army who came to aid us in our defense." There was a loud cheer from all the palace dwellers. Link, unsure of what was the proper response to such praise, looked beseechingly to the general for some advice, but Aston looked just as embarrassed and uncertain himself. "All of Selinta is grateful for the help of King Chandler and his regal subjects. Let us begin!" Link looked eagerly towards the king, sure that he would, at last, see Princess Cheyanna in person, but only the queen accompanied him. There was no princess to be found.  
  
"Erm..." The nineteen-year-old had no idea how to ask the king where his daughter was without seeming as though he wanted, that badly, to see her. It would be seen as a... 'courting' of some sort, he was sure of it. Fortunately, King Edward answered his question before it even left his lips.  
  
"I am afraid our daughter Cheyanna could not attend tonight, she has been feeling rather weak of late." The king's face fell a little as the servants began bringing out the food on silver platters. "I hope with all my heart it is not serious. Her misfortunate could be an ill-omen." The queen nodded silently and dipped her spoon into the soup, offering no verbal agreement to his comment.  
  
"I am sure it is simply something that is running around the land," General Aston assured, trying to sound certain of himself. "Have there been any other symptoms?"  
  
"No, thankfully. The castle herbalist does not believe it is the wasting sickness, thanks be to the goddesses. However, during such times, we mustn't take this lightly," Edward clucked, shaking his head with resolution.  
  
"But she were just fine when I left, sir," Lance remarked, puzzled. "I can't believe she could be sick. Cheyanna were always strong of spirit, aye." The king looked up as Lance spoke, and his face broke into a sunny grin.  
  
"Lance, dear lad, you've come back! I daresay, where is your rascally old seadog of a father? Did he come along?" The young sailor moved his head in the negative.  
  
"Nay, sir, much work he's got to do to pay off the rest of his ship and buy new supplies, not to mention give the crew their due. But I'm sure he'll pop by one of these days..." The conversation lulled into something pleasant but not entirely interesting. Link automatically ate his food, and felt a little disappointed. He had expected to see the princess.  
  
  
  
After the dinner festivities, Link immediately exited the dining room, lest Lance decide that the hero should join in the dancing and fun afterwards, and he certainly didn't feel like waltzing around the entire length of the room while some young girl simpered and swooned on his shoulder.  
  
The Hero of Time found peace in the palace garden, surprised at the enormity of it. Hyrule's garden paled in comparison, but since it was also much newer, he supposed that they had thought more of wartime than peacetime, and had cut back on trivialities.  
  
Still, a quiet walk in the garden was not something to be turned down, especially if your inner feelings were in turmoil. There was some soul searching to be done, he knew, taking a sit on the grass beside the pond, crossing his legs under each other, as though he were going to meditate. In a way, he was.  
  
When first meeting him, many people were literally star-struck (or rather, hero-struck), and they worshipped and adored him. Link generally disliked that sort of attention, finding it to be some sort of annoying and useless flattery. So he had saved Hyrule and probably the rest of the world from a cruel fate at the whims of Ganondorf, but that was a couple years ago. It was old news. As of late, he had done nothing entirely notable, aside from the usual creature slaying and town saving, not to mention damsel rescuing, most of which had always thought it 'proper' to reward his actions with an unwanted kiss. During those times his affections lay deeply for Zelda, and he had no interest in being smooched by some woman that he had just rescued and hardly knew.  
  
But now, now he wasn't sure where his heart lay, if he was the kind of man a girl would marry. Being a hero had some ugly side affects, many of which were painful and most likely fatal. Zelda... His mind worked it over ceaselessly, but could not see how it worked. If he had really been in love, he would have endured the kingship, but perhaps it was just as well.  
  
Those who knew him (and, to be honest, not many did), knew that he liked the quiet, detested any kind of wrongdoing, and preferred his own company most of the time. Usually the more ignorant thought him to be stuck-up and pompous, but he considered himself rather quiet and humble, although that in itself wasn't a very humble thought.  
  
Still... there was always the possibility that there was a lovely young lady out there for him, who shared his interests and his desires. Maybe one day he could hang up his sword, learn a trade (perhaps being a silver or blacksmith; that particular line of trade had always interested him), and settle down to have a family. Such was his dream; nothing fancy, no visions of glory or fame or riches, but a simple life with a loving family and a small business.  
  
Of course, it would be tiresome after a while, all that idyllic behavior, but there would always be a need for heroes. Deep in his heart he knew he would never hang up his sword for long. (Returning the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time did nothing, so the Sages allowed him to keep it with him and protect its magic.)  
  
So lost in thought was Link that he didn't hear (even with his sharp Hylian ears and acute sense of awareness) someone walking up from behind him, trying to be stealthy and not succeeding too great.  
  
"...Who are you?" spoke a voice, startling the blonde terribly and causing him to jump in surprise. He craned his neck over his shoulder and saw the princess in all her beauty. She was staring curiously at him, with large blue eyes so innocent and unselfconscious. Her hair was tied neatly into a lovely thick braid that hung over one shoulder decoratively, and her dress was a simple pink frock. "What are you doing in my private garden?" Feeling somewhat the fool for allowing her to sneak up on him, Link scrambled to his feet and stammered a mumble that sounded vaguely like an apology.  
  
"I... I didn't know this was your private garden. I came out from the castle to get some fresh air, after dinner, and... I sat down here. I'm sorry if I've intruded on your privacy." 'There, that should clear matters up,' he thought, still feeling stupid and clumsy. To his surprise, Princess Cheyanna laughed and clapped her hands together.  
  
"How delightful! A visitor! Surely... you are one of the visitors from Hyrule?" He nodded dumbly, not daring himself to speak again. Only babble would pour forth from his mouth like a raging river, he feared. "But what an odd sense of uniform... surely, that is not a Royal Hylian Army uniform...?" She seemed a little offended at his lack of taste for dressing. That was no bother; he wasn't too fond of his style either.  
  
"Er, no... your Highness. Officially, I'm not a part of the army, but the king sent me along as well... I've never been a soldier, and I don't wear their uniform." Cheyanna looked perplexed.  
  
"Not a soldier? But then, who are you?" Feeling a bit silly, Link made a stiff bow and replied in a sighing sort of tone,  
  
"I'm Link of Hyrule, Your Highness."  
  
"Link? The very same Link, the Hero of Time?" Her voice carried astonishment... and... amusement...? He nodded silently. She smiled sweetly. "Of course, I should have known the Hero of Time would be so handsome." His ears burned red at the tips, and he forced himself to study the ground with great interest. "How convenient that you should be in my garden! Oh! I forgot, I must properly introduce myself." With a pert little curtsy, she announced regally, "I am Princess Cheyanna of Selinta. I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance."  
  
"Likewise," he mumbled, but she didn't seem to hear him.  
  
"You must regale me with your story of bravery and the triumph over Ganondorf!" To his amusement, she shuddered a bit at the sound of the evil king's name.  
  
"Erm... actually... I can't, really. It's probably late, and... I... well, the army will probably be marching out tomorrow..." Which was a lie in its entirety; King Edward himself had stated that they would march out three days hence. Cheyanna made a sort of disgruntled noise in her throat, which was quite... un-princess-like.  
  
"Oh, very well, Link. Be off with you to your quarters, then, if you feel you've not the time nor the honor of keeping me company."  
  
'When she puts it like that, she makes me seem like the worst person in the world,' he thought with some dissent. He had just met the princess, a beautiful creature that was already flirting outrageously with him, and he thought her to be a spoiled, commanding brat. But of course, that was probably because she was so used to having men fall over each other to please her, and she seemed to feel as though he was rejecting her. 'I'm doomed to forever be likened as a Rejecter of Princesses,' thought Link disconsolately, sighing with guilt.  
  
Cheyanna turned away from him and sauntered off into the garden, obviously wanting him to follow, but Link would not play that game. Fooling around with the princess, no matter how renown he was, was nothing he wanted to be caught doing. And he had no intention of playing between the sheets; he was here on business, and because he found her physically satisfying was no reason to take advantage of her.  
  
'After all, she's weak and probably is a bit delusional.' This thought hurt his own feelings, and in order to prevent any other self-discouraging thoughts, Link turned and headed back to the castle, feeling angry and puzzled with himself.  
  
  
  
Cheyanna watched him stalk off along the path, and resisted the urge to crush the flower she held in her hand. She had been so close, so close, to getting him off his guard, and then she would be able to make her move.  
  
Sexual relations were not in her mind; she had been planning to dispose of him neatly and silently. No one knew that she had secret meetings with King Viru of the Tophetians; her love lay with his. She had sworn to stay by his side and fight against her own people, but he would not hear of it. Viru wanted her to stay in Selinta, and be his little spy. No one in their right mind would suspect her, and she'd be able to convey messages through a round ball he had given him.  
  
Naturally, she played her part well.  
  
And at the first notice that a troop from the Royal Hylian Army, not to mention General Aston and Link themselves, would be coming, she notified him at once, and his immediate response was to assassinate Link at all costs.  
  
She would do so, but on her own grounds.  
  
Her favorite tactic was seduction, but apparently he was too stupid, honorable, or... something less natural to respond. Anyone who dressed like he did had to be strange.  
  
Cheyanna's eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
'I'll get you, Link, for even thinking about fighting against the Tophetians, and especially my beloved, King Viru...'  
  
  
  
Link wanted nothing to do with either the princess or with the strange girl Miyako. Women were such troublesome creatures, and all dreams of his raising a family vanished without a trace. At best, they were flirtatious little scoundrels with hearts of stone and sharp daggers of betrayal.  
  
'I shouldn't have turned down Princess Zelda, but it's too late for that,' he thought bitterly. One bad event had spoiled his night, and so that he would not be further bothered by bad dreams, he took a sleeping draught he found in the bathroom and promptly went to sleep.  
  
  
  
Miyako's head jerked in the direction of the doorway as the metal door opened creakily. The young teenager could hear deep breathing, as though someone was a little overexerted. She didn't bother to say anything; only one person came to visit her.  
  
"I'll teach you to spy around," hissed Cheyanna, striding closer to the prone figure on the floor.  
  
"I've done nothing wrong," the red-haired teenager replied quietly. "I don't see why you've locked me up and bound me like some worthless animal."  
  
"You are a worthless animal!" snarled the princess, aiming a kick at Miyako's vulnerable stomach. The other girl grunted in pain but made no other movement or sound. "When I am Queen of Tophet, I'll see to it that every vagabond and criminal had his way with you."  
  
Miyako wanted badly to sneer and be contemptuous, but that wouldn't be very wise. What she was saying wasn't very wise, but pushing her luck was a bit too much for the moment. "King Viru's just using you; any fool with half a brain and an eye that's not blind could see that."  
  
"Shut up, I never said you could speak his name!" Cheyanna hissed angrily. "For that, you get no food for a month! You'll rot in here!" With that, the princess turned and slammed the cell door shut.  
  
"Well, at least I'll be rid of her when I'm dead," Miyako tried to console herself, but it wasn't much use. Her death was inevitable; the boy she had sent her messages to had somehow manage to block her, whether unknowingly or purposely. "Might as well start writing my epitaph now..." 


	13. A Word from the Author

WARNING: LONG RAMBLING FROM THE AUTHOR  
  
  
  
This isn't vital to the story line at all (except near the end, which may contain SPOILERS), but I just have to say some things that I don't think would be appropriate to just attach at the beginning or end of a chapter.  
  
  
  
I didn't want Miyako to end up being a character that everybody hated, but I didn't want to try really hard to make her someone everybody loved, which would be impossible, since a lot of people are *exclusively* pro-Link/Zelda or pro-Link/Malon. And that's just fine, but... I never really pictured him with either of them. I wanted to make her a little bit of a virago (heroine) but not a full-blown "I don't need men, they're all stupid" feminist or something. A little independent, but still very much a girl. I hope it worked out all right. I have no idea where the name 'Miyako' came from, it just popped into my head one day, like all of the others, and I didn't get it from any anime that I've seen. I'm trying not to inject this story with Japanese words and phrases as though it were an anime fanfiction, because there are TLoZ fans out there that don't know what anime is or don't like it. (If you want the actual truth, though, there's going to be a LOT of Latin later on. Muahahaha.)  
  
  
  
I hope that not many people are reading this novella fanfiction and then saying, "This is crap! You suck!" just because Link does not get with Zelda, Malon, Ruto, Saria, Sheik, or Ganondorf. (You fans of yaoi, you. XD ) I'm just trying to take these characters and have them act realistically. Yes, Zelda will undoubtedly have the hots for Link, as will Malon, Ruto, and Saria. Sheik... a lot of people liked "him," and I do too, and I still do, but Sheik is Zelda and Zelda is Sheik, and moving the story to an alternate universe is a bit of a big jump (although I do happen to think it's a nifty idea). While I'm a fairly average fan of yaoi (if there's such an thing as an average fan of yaoi), there's good yaoi and tasteless yaoi, and the latter is never worth reading or even thinking about.  
  
  
  
Though this may be elitist, this is what fanfiction should be; taking the game and moving it in a direction unrelated to the original plot. Isn't that what fanfiction means? Using the characters of an already made show or game or anime and then putting them in different scenarios?  
  
  
  
SPOILERS AHEAD (?)  
  
Later on you'll read that Link is still having trouble getting over Zelda, even though he was the one who didn't want to get married, but isn't it like that? We make choices we regret and then pray it was for the best. I don't want to throw Miyako in anyone's face and say, "She's the best!" or something, because love is never about two people made for each other. It's about attraction for the things we want in ourselves that we see in others. And (this is a SPOILER, but I bet you saw it coming from miles away) I don't want to turn it into something like Romeo and Juliet and have it be love at first sight or at least in the first two weeks between Link and Miyako. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is love. As for the whole *(im)possible* Link/Lance scenario, I leave that completely open to any yaoi fan willing to take my atrocities on.  
  
  
  
I feel like a bit of a heretic for injecting all these new legends and countries and legends into the Zelda world, but... I've not played many Zelda games. I've played one of them for the original Nintendo, I misremember which one, plus OoT and MM for N64, and then the GameBoy Color one with the Windfish thingy, but I didn't get very far, as I kept stealing stuff then getting killed by the store owner. XD  
  
  
  
All right, enough of this. Get back to the story, Faithful Reader, and thank you for braving out this rant. ^__^ 


	14. The East Tower

Chapter Thirteen  
  
  
  
Link woke up, entirely refreshed and rejuvenated. No haunted dreams of that Miyako girl, no dreams of his past, no dreams of Ganondorf, no dreams at all, and it felt so good as he stretched contentedly and lay back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.  
  
After a moment of this, guilt inevitably set in. What right did he have, allowing a girl to die alone in a tower, locked away and shackled up like a dangerous beast? But for all he knew, she could be dangerous. Maybe that was why she was there in the first place.  
  
'If Navi were around, she'd give me no choice. She'd make me rescue Miyako,' thought the nineteen-year-old somewhat nostalgically. He had not heard from or of the fairy since they parted shortly after he saved Hyrule. Because he was not a Kokiri, it was forbidden for her to remain with him any longer. She had already pushed her luck. But still... the little sprite had been terribly useful and intelligent, and she had been a good friend by his side during his adventure.  
  
Sighing heavily, the Hero of Time rose from his bed to bathe and dress. The general might need his presence.  
  
  
  
Lance cavorted somewhat crazily around the garden, pretending to practice with the bastard sword he had received, but quite actually fooling about. There was no need to practice; he knew how to wield a sword to save his life, and that was all that was necessary, really.  
  
"And what stance do we call that, Lance?" questioned a voice lazily from the depths of the plants around him. The young sailor halted his antics and looked around, smiling slightly.  
  
"Aye, Cheyanna, 'tis called the Crazy Stance of a Half-witted Sailor. And what be you doin' here in the garden? I thought 'twas lunchtime, aye." The princess stepped out of the bushes and nodded once.  
  
"I already ate earlier; I'm quite full. Do you expect to get anywhere with practice like that?" Her voice held amiable disdain, but disdain nonetheless. Lance touched his forehead respectfully, although she knew it was a mockery.  
  
"Forgive me, princess, but t'ain't in your place to be judgin' me skills. What counts is when I'm on the battlefield."  
  
"You're a friend of Link's, aren't you?" Her manner changed at once, and sighing wistfully, she seated herself on a small wicker chair nearby. Lance leaned on the bastard sword, wondering exactly where the conversation was headed.  
  
"Aye, I am." Cheyanna looked longingly at the rosebushes within the small area.  
  
"Well, I don't know why, but... he seems so cold towards me. Have I done something wrong? Am I not likeable?" Lance scratched his head, a bit confused at this turn of topics.  
  
"Hmm... I don't know. He don't prefer the royal type, 'tis all I know."  
  
"I could change! We don't have to stay here and rule Selinta..." Her voice trailed off and she blushed prettily. The eighteen-year-old clucked his tongue and raised both eyebrows.  
  
"Already fancied him your husband? Cheyanna, you're a wild one."  
  
"I know, but... he's awfully handsome..."  
  
"Awfully? Think that's a bad thing? How low you must think of me, then!" She laughed, then shook her head.  
  
"Just a figure of speech, Lance, no need to be so literal. You're usually not. Something's bothering you, isn't it?" The sailor shook his head.  
  
"Nay, princess, nothing a'tall. I'm fine. Never you mind about poor ol' Lance. But... I don't think Link's really interested at the moment."  
  
"But am I not pretty?" She fluttered her eyelashes alluringly at him, and Lance smiled primly.  
  
"Far more exquisite than an icy sunset, Cheyanna," he answered quietly. She laughed merrily.  
  
"You're quite the charmer, Lance."  
  
"It came with who I am, Cheyanna. I don't know what else to tell ye. Link's not the romantic type. 'Least, I've no reason to believe it. Aye. He's a born fighter and wanderer. Maybe one day, but not today or for a while after." With that Lance performed a little salute with the sword and sauntered off deeper into the garden to practice alone.  
  
Cheyanna fumed inwardly. She was no closer to discovering what it would take to throw Link off his guard, and on top of that the only friend she'd ever really had seemed to be less... appraising of her. How dare he!  
  
'Everything's going wrong, I'd better tell Viru about this,' she thought angrily, stalking off to the castle's back entrance.  
  
  
  
Link swung the Master Sword idly, concentrating only on the wooden construct that served as his practice partner. It was certainly no substitution for a flesh-and-blood partner, but it was sufficient nonetheless.  
  
Still, it did feel a little foolish to be ducking and dodging around, pretending some lump of wood was seriously threatening his life, but training with the other soldiers was awkward and usually uncomfortable. Many felt inferior to him, and that started the whole mess in the first place, of why they proved to be little of a challenge.  
  
He never considered himself an elite swordsman by any means, but he could certainly swing a sword like there was no tomorrow. Many of the Royal Hylian Army soldiers knew this, and because they felt that they were no match for him, they /became/ no match for him, when in reality, could have easily been up to the challenge of facing him.  
  
Whatever the reason, there was still the only outcome; he trained alone and for much longer hours than any other soldier did. He supposed because his skills needed sharper honing, and probably because his training was not as efficient as theirs, to boot.  
  
'No pity for one who complains,' he thought, performing a roll and weave and striking at his 'opponent.' Then he stopped and let the tip of the Master Sword lower to the ground slowly. Suddenly his training, his effort, seemed completely useless and illogical. Link clutched the handle of the sword and sighed desperately. Was there no avoiding it? He supposed he would have to go looking for that strange girl. She had been on his mind the entire morning.  
  
  
  
Link strode down the castle halls, pretending to be carrying out some important task, but quite actually wondering where the hell he was going. He had no idea where there would be a doorway to a set of stairs leading up the /right/tower. And he certainly couldn't ask for a map of the castle; that would be considered very curious behavior.  
  
Convinced he'd found the right door (after all, not many doors sported a small plaque saying "East Tower" on them), Link reached to open it, but before he could...  
  
"What are you doing?" The Hero of Time glanced to his left and saw Jonathan standing several yards away. "Going off into the East Tower? Questionable."  
  
"Only for someone who would consider it himself," retorted the nineteen- year-old immediately.  
  
"I don't recall being told that we could explore the castle on our own, without accompaniment," replied the younger smugly, sure that he had finally cornered Link.  
  
"But then again, the king never said we couldn't, did he?" Link pointed out, lifting an eyebrow at the soldier. "And why are you interested in spying on me?"  
  
"That's not true," hissed Jonathan indignantly, clutching his fists at his sides and glaring at Link. The Hero of Time knew he had the upper hand.  
  
"Why are you always following me, and pestering me? The answer's obvious. You're obsessed."  
  
"You're a sick person, Link, and extremely conceited for 'one so honorable,' " Jonathan snapped, storming off. Inwardly pleased with having disposed of the bothersome rival without too much trouble, the blonde teenager opened the door, stepped inside, and shut it after him. Nothing worked like turning a man's hatred against him. Nobody saw him enter the East Tower.  
  
  
  
Link stepped up the winding stairs, wondering just how far this exploration would take him. Every so often he passed by a tough-looking wooden door, but these he pay no mind. Miyako would be in the highest tower; Kaepora had lain claim himself. And she would also be in the highest room, no doubt.  
  
So he climbed. And climbed. After ten more minutes of stairs, Link was all too happy to embrace the notion of simply turning around and walking back down. But it was either continue on, or hold the guilt of having let a damsel in distress die.  
  
  
  
Miyako sensed someone coming. Someone with much strength and courage. Even in her weak, unfortunate state, she could still sense the aura of people as they approached the top room in the East Tower. Making an effort to sit up, the girl waited for whoever it was to reach her cell.  
  
After what seemed to be an eternity, Link reached the final room. He suspected that he was out of practice for traveling a short distance up a steep incline. Perhaps his sword skills weren't the only skills that needed finer honing.  
  
He had reached the topmost room at least, and that was something to pat himself on the back for. But that would have to wait until later; at the moment, he had a girl to liberate.  
  
Link peered into the cell, and it was just as bare and impersonal as it had been in his dreams, and the girl was in the same corner, only this time she was sitting up.  
  
Unerringly, she spoke.  
  
"Hello?" Her voice sounded almost rusted, as though she had not spoken for a long time, but it had pleasant undertones. It was a voice he could certainly get used to. "Hello, someone is there. Please answer." Unfortunately, Link had no idea what to say.  
  
"I... Um... I came," he replied weakly, knowing no other response. "You sent me dreams, and... Here I am." Pathetic, but it was something.  
  
"...Link?" Her tone of voice changed; she sounded hopeful. "You're the boy!" He snorted slightly at that; he was no boy, but his indignation did not matter to her, however; she would soon be free!  
  
"Yes, whatever. Please, I know you've got the skill to get me out of here! I'll explain everything afterwards, and I'm sure you'll need to know what I've discovered." Link tried the door. Naturally, it was locked. He kicked it deftly several times. Nothing happened. A bomb might bring too much attention, but what...?  
  
'A fire arrow,' he thought, concentrating on the powers of fire as he drew an arrow out of his quiver. The tip flamed eternally, as it would (even in the rain) until it struck its target. He held it to the doorknob and willed it to grow hotter than ever. Eventually it melted the doorknob, and Link heard an almost inaudible click, but he replaced the arrow in his quiver and tried it again. The door opened, with some trouble, but that was to be expected.  
  
But, looking at her metal shackles and fetters, it might be a tougher job freeing her. After all, the heat had been unbearable nearly for him, and he had been holding the arrow by its very end. Trying to melt it off her would probably only succeed in melting it /onto/ her.  
  
"How am I going to get those off you?" He wondered aloud, walking closer. Even though her hair was matted and dirty from being kept prisoner so long, it still flamed red from beneath the muck.  
  
"I'm sure, that if my hands weren't bound so tightly together, I could manage to slip my wrists out, but since they're behind my back, the opportunity hasn't arisen," she replied dryly, "or I wouldn't need your help."  
  
"What should I do, then?"  
  
"Chop the chain." Her tone was curt and final. "I'll hold them as far from my back as possible, and just swing your sword."  
  
"...Well, I guess, but you could get hurt..." She made an impatient noise, and he got the message. Without further commentary, Link drew out the Biggoron's Sword, since its blade was keener than that of the Master Sword. He stepped back, tapped the chain lightly, taking note of the angle and the distance, and swung hard. The chain broke weakly and she flexed her arms, flinching at the stiffness in her muscles.  
  
"It's been a while," she muttered, rubbing one shoulder, then the next. Link ignored her comment and swung again, liberating her feet, although he didn't think she'd be able to slip the fetters off her feet. To his surprise, her wrists were already free of the shackles when he sheathed his sword. "There, that's better." Miyako scrambled to her feet and wavered a bit, as though uncertain of how to stand. Link reached out and steadied her, feeling something of an spark between the two of them touching. Miyako reached behind her neck and carefully undid the mask, and turned to look at her rescuer.  
  
Her emeralds met his sapphires, and Link felt the oddest sensation; it was as though someone was carefully picking away at the inside of his skull. It itched a little, but he remained still. Her face was pale, kept clean by shielding of the mask, but the transparency of her skin did not distract from her comeliness.  
  
It was not a beauty of weeping matters; her face was merely pleasant. Her calm countenance drew his attention, but hers wasn't a beauty that would bewitch a man. It was a sort of common girl pretty, compared to Zelda. Looking at Zelda, you knew she was a princess. Looking at this girl, you knew she was a commoner, but one with more... more what?  
  
"Thanks." Her voice had grown gruff. She rubbed her wrist, wincing slightly. "It's been terrible in here. The room service isn't all that they said it would be." Miyako smiled, and Link found himself smiling back. The itching sensation had gone away.  
  
"Why did they put you in here?" He had to know what she had done that was so wrong to deserve being locked away in the highest tower.  
  
"For insulting the princess and spying," she replied briskly, tucking several strands of flaming hair behind a long, elven ear.  
  
"Oh." Miyako turned slightly away from him, her countenance frowning in concern. "What's wrong?"  
  
"She also had me thrown in here because... because I know her terrible secret." Link's ears twitched involuntarily.  
  
"Her... terrible secret?" Was that remarkable beauty magic-induced? Was she a bastard princess with no claim to the throne?  
  
"Yes... It will come as a shock to you, but... she's meeting with King Viru, and giving him confidential information about Selintan troop movements and placements. That's why they've been winning all the battles." Link blinked in disbelief. Miyako looked back at him, an almost hurt expression on her face. "You don't believe me, I can tell. You think that she'd never be able to betray her own people, but some kind are just... born evil."  
  
  
  
  
  
Finally! Thirteen chapters into the darned story and we meet another main character! Sorry it's been taking so long, but I've always aspired to make novels of my fanfiction. Hopefully, it brings depth and breadth to the plot. Thanks for grinning and bearing it, Faithful Reader. 


	15. Escape

Chapter Fourteen  
  
  
  
Link wasn't in his room, nor was he in the Great Hall or the Training Barracks. Cheyanna was nearly fuming with frustration; where could the Hero of Time gone to? There simply wasn't any place in the castle that could possibly be so interesting as to—  
  
Her eyes widened suddenly. She should have known; the East Tower had the greatest view of all the castle towers. Perhaps someone had taken him up there to see the view, and in doing that had discovered...  
  
No! It was absurd. The East Tower was off limits, but had anyone mentioned that to Our Fair Hero? Probably... but then again, the chance that no one had... Cheyanna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She would have a guard go and check on Miyako, make sure she was still in her shackles and undiscovered by Link. If she wasn't... well... then that would be the time to perform two quick murders.  
  
  
  
"It's not that I don't believe you—" Link started, but Miyako held up her hand.  
  
"Link, lying to me is stupid, not to mention degrading to the both of us. You, for thinking that I'd fall for it, and me, because you think I'm not telling the truth. You think I'm the spy for King Viru. Well, I spied on Cheyanna to find out when the Tophetians would make their move against the Selintans. Unfortunately, I was caught. To make a long story short, I was tried for treason and espionage and thrown in here." Link shook his head and found he had little to say. "We need to get out of here, before Cheyanna..." Miyako hesitated slightly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm thinking she might want to kill us both. You, because King Viru's afraid of you, and me because I know too much." Link closed his eyes for a moment, his mind swimming in a sea of too much disclosure. Too many revelations in a short time becomes tiring, he reflected slowly. Yet somehow, it didn't surprise that Cheyanna was on the other side. Hadn't he seen her guile at work last night? And to think he had been heartsick over someone that... shallow.  
  
"So what are we going to do," Link stated slowly. A hero, a legend, yet he could barely think for himself at the moment.  
  
"We need to get out of here," the red-haired girl repeated, rubbing her wrists where the manacles had been.  
  
"How? You need to escape, but she'll know you're gone, then she'll know that I've helped you, and it's just a big mess." This, coming from someone who never gave up, despite the odds stacked against him. The irony was not lost on him; he went through all this trouble for one girl. But hadn't he done more for Princess Zelda? Conflicting emotions rose, arguing with each other. To his surprise, she smiled, and it was certainly a thing of beauty.  
  
"I would have never ask for your help if I didn't know that you'd be in danger. Of course not. I'm not that selfish. Anyway, the king doesn't know I'm here. So, Cheyanna can't tell him about me without getting in trouble herself. I don't know if that will help you at all, but it might. As for me, I've got to leave, and now."  
  
"Where are you going?" He couldn't help but ask; certainly Lance might be curious. Miyako flipped her hair over one shoulder in a smooth gesture.  
  
"I was on my way to the Temple of Life." She said no more than that, but instead lowered her eyes to her frayed dress and picked at several loose threads. He remembered that Prince Kellen had mentioned something about it, but only that it was deteriorating. Daughter of a God is fallen, he mused, then shook his head. Cheyanna? But Edward was no god; there was just an aura about them. Perhaps King Viru wasn't really a king. Could God be a reference to King? He laughed aloud at this sudden thought, and earned a confused look from the girl. "Erm... It must be none of my business, then." Miyako looked up at him, shock in her eyes.  
  
"You, the Hero of Time, have no business with the decaying Temple of Life? Good Gods!" Then she laughed, yet it was not a condescending laugh. Still, he didn't enjoy being laughed at, but Link waited for her to explain. "There's something wrong there. I don't know what it is, but... it's evil. And it's very serious. You've heard of the Seven Dragons, right?" Link shook his head. Miyako's eyes widened. "No?"  
  
"No. I know of Seven Sages, but..."  
  
"Well... hmm... It would take too long to explain properly, and time isn't on my side. Listen, Lance will tell you. He's here at the castle, isn't he?"  
  
"How did you know that?" Link couldn't hide his amazement.  
  
"I felt his aura, that's how. We go back a ways, him and me." A look of nostalgia passed over her countenance, and Link frowned. He didn't know why, but he felt jealous already. Yet he'd only met her in person today, and she was nothing short of strange. "We used to play a lot together, especially on the beach. Sometimes he said that he could hear his mom, living a second life in the water where she belonged." Miyako shook her head. "Erm, I shouldn't have said that, but nostalgia is a queer disease, don't you think?" Link, who'd never had any parents that he remembered, could not relate, but nodded anyway.  
  
"He told me about his mother and father," the blonde teenager said slowly, "if that eases your conscience." Miyako nodded, and she did look visibly relieved. After all, it's unwise and rude to spill your friend's secrets to someone you just met, no matter how unwittingly. "But what's wrong with it?"  
  
"I think... I think it's the dragon, Ententé... There's something wrong with it. A poison? I don't know. But I feel like I'm being drawn to it. I must go. It's that simple." She shrugged and turned away. "I thought you might feel it, maybe Lance and the Princess of Hyrule, as well..." Link twitched at the mention of Zelda. "...but I don't know how I'm going to get out of here without the guards knowing. Doubtless... they're coming. But when they get here, you'll only say that you were exploring the castle." Her eyes lit up. "And that it was empty when you got here."  
  
"And the shackles?" They were clearly cleanly cut; not a clue that anyone would want to leave around.  
  
"I'll take them with me."  
  
"How do you expect to leave? Fly out the window?" Link couldn't help but hold a contemptuous tone; after all, there were so many flaws in her plan. She turned to face him, glaring.  
  
"I never said that my idea was perfect, unless you've got a better one." In a crazy way, her temper pleased him, but he had no idea why.  
  
"Well..." He hesitated, trying to come up with a better idea and failing miserably. He could think of nothing except... "Erm..." Still nothing.  
  
Then, it struck him like lightning.  
  
Or rather, like a large, plain black ball. Stifling a smile, he brought it out of his pouch and handed it to her somewhat triumphantly. Miyako stared at the ball, then at him.  
  
"And what, exactly, am I going to do with this? Throw it at them? Play pins with it? Sure, we could have tea in the garden and games at sunset." She sounded skeptical, but Link didn't blame her; after all, when he had first seen it, he hadn't thought much of it either.  
  
"Prince Kellen gave this to me. He said it'll summon any beasts of the area. They should be able to provide a distraction." Her eyes widened slightly, and then a smile spread across her face.  
  
"That's great!"  
  
"The only problem is, what if innocent people get caught up in this? I don't want the beasts to lose control and start attacking the city folk." Well, there were always flaws in plans, even good ones.  
  
"Well, if you can summon them, you should be able to control them, right?" Miyako's face was earnest; this plan was definitely better than hers. Link thought about this for several moments.  
  
"...I don't really know. He never said if it did, only that it'd summon the beasts of the area. It was created by Shadeius," added the nineteen-year- old as an afterthought. Miyako jerked as if shocked, and stared at him with wide wonderment.  
  
"...Shadeius...?" Her voice had degenerated to a mild squeak.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"And you don't know the legends...?" Link shook his head; he wasn't too acquainted with them. "Never mind, it's just... Maybe using it wouldn't be such a good idea..." The Hero of Time frowned at this; so far as he saw it, it was probably the only chance she had. "I don't... I don't think it would be wise to use something made by Shadeius... it would be... wrong." Before Link could argue, a small, evil chuckle resonated from the doorway.  
  
"You didn't think you could escape without me noticing, did you?" Cheyanna watched them with cold, darkly satisfied eyes. Her eyes flickered to Link. "And you... I should have known you'd play the part of the hero. I should have killed you when I had the chance. There's no need for an explanation; I have reason to believe Miyako has told you everything."  
  
  
  
There is a difference between being told someone is a traitor and finding out for yourself. Such was Link's astonishment that the very princess of Selinta would be the traitor to her father's throne.  
  
"You..." He could think of nothing intelligent to say, so he shut his mouth before something stupid could fall out of it. The princess shook her head at them.  
  
"You've allowed yourself to be cornered as though this were a silly game of Knights and Knaves. Do you really think there's going to be someone here to save you now?" Her eyes blazed with a dark light that looked both deluding and sinister. "You cannot escape, and even if you did, no one would believe your outrageous story."  
  
'We've got to do something, and quick,' Miyako thought helplessly, 'but what?' Cheyanna took a step towards them, her lips twitching into a malicious smile.  
  
Before she could say anything, however, Link suddenly threw the ball as hard as he could. It smashed into the wall beside Cheyanna and erupted into a roar of black flames. The princess screamed and leapt sideways as the flames reached hungrily for her.  
  
In the distance, a loud, monstrous cry trumpeted. 


	16. Bringer of the Belua

Chapter Fifteen  
  
"Come on!" Link snatched Miyako's wrist and sprinted past the fallen princess. They bounded down the spiral staircase, around and around and around. The redheaded teenager wasn't sure if her legs would ever work right; they simply felt on fire. Link, however, didn't seem to notice the distance.  
  
"Hey, slow down," she panted, but the blonde took no heed of her. Soon enough (before she felt as though she would just allow herself to be dragged along), they reached the bottom. Link yanked open the door and ran out, still clutching her wrist.  
  
'We've got to find Lance,' the Hero of Time thought disconnectedly, his mind whirling. 'Where could he be...'  
  
As if on cue, the friendly sailor walked into the hallway and was promptly smashed into the wall by them. There was a moment of confusion, and then all three of them sat up. Lance's face was slack with surprise.  
  
"Matey!" Then, with even more shock, "Miyako!"  
  
"There's no time," the nineteen-year-old panted, staggering to his feet. "There's monsters coming, I heard it."  
  
"Aye, many!" Lance climbed to his feet then awkwardly helped Miyako to her own, although she was already half way up. "Miyako, what in the blazes be you here?!"  
  
"I'll answer that later, for now—" Before she could finish her sentence, panic broke out and all hell ensued. Guards and soldiers began pouring out of every room as the alarm bells were tolled, their brazen voices singing over the shouting and screaming.  
  
"What have I done?" Link muttered to himself, turning and sprinting after the mass of warriors. Lance and Miyako followed suit.  
  
  
  
"What monsters come?" Miyako asked Lance breathlessly as they chased after Link. The sailor shielded his eyes and fazed towards the west.  
  
"Too many to separate 'em, but I'd say we'd be better off gettin' the people in their homes." Indeed, the city folk had begun to panic and run about aimlessly. The sight might have been funny if it hadn't been life threatening.  
  
Before Link could reply, King Edward came trooping out of his castle, a regiment of soldiers behind him.  
  
"Rally the citizens and get them behind the castle walls," he shouted to a platoon to his left. The soldiers dismissed and headed towards the city. In the distance, dust rose in an ominous wave as the monsters neared. The king noticed Link and the others and motioned them over. He frowned curiously at Miyako but turned his attention to more important matters. "What is going on?"  
  
"I... don't know, to be sure, but the safest bet is to protect the townsfolk," Link replied somewhat truthfully. He didn't honestly know what was happening; he'd thrown the black orb, it had broken, and now monsters were coming. That was all he knew.  
  
"Here they come!" A guard shouted nervously, stamping his spearbutt on the ground. Not all of the townspeople had made it safely to the castle, but...  
  
"Curious," the king uttered, as the monsters slowed to a halt near the gates. Tektites, ReDeads, even a Dead Hand... creature that could not stand the light of day, yet there they stood, quietly, at the gates. "...Archers, do you see that blue Tektite? Fire an arrow as close as possible, but do not hit it." Two archers stepped forward, nocking arrows to their bows, fired. The missiles landed within several inches of piercing the Tektite's front right leg, but it did not so much as twitch.  
  
"If you really have control over the monsters, Link, then do something," whispered Miyako impatiently. "Maybe they're waiting for orders."  
  
"It sure looks like it," muttered the Hero of Time. "...King Edward? May I try something?" The monarch nodded but said nothing, only looking curiously at the mass of monsters. They made no movements, and that in itself was eerily disturbing.  
  
Link stepped forward somewhat nervously; he could feel the puzzled gaze of hundreds of people switch from the monsters to him.  
  
"If you are not here to hurt these people," he started, then stopped. What could he ask, or rather command, them to do? "Then... sit down," Link finished weakly. There was not much he could command them to do, but a spark of an idea was catching flame in his mind...  
  
All of the monsters, even the ones that could not have possibly heard him, sat down immediately. The king made a strangled noise in his throat, shock etched on the lines of his face.  
  
"Sir," Lance stepped forward and waved a hand vaguely at the monsters, "if this ain't against a code of honor or something, then mayhap this is an advantage we may have over King Viru." King Edward turned to Lance and nodded.  
  
"Yes, but... using monsters to fight out enemies, that would be seen as weakness, and cowardice as well. I am no coward. These monsters, however, have terrorized our land too long, and it would be fine to be rid of them." His eyes sparked with the mischief that most men never lose from their boyhood. "Link, could you ask these... creatures to leave the people of Selinta alone? Forever?" Link glanced over his shoulder and nodded.  
  
"King Edward has asked that you leave all Selintans in peace, and never harm them." A cheer rose up from the other citizens; apparently this idea was fine with them.  
  
The monsters left in a surging crest of thunder, howling and trumpeting, leaving the city immediately. Link wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and found himself relieved; no one had died and all was well.  
  
A screech from the castle turned anyone's attention to the main doors. Cheyanna stood in the stone doorway. The hem of her dress had caught fire and she looked more than a little angry, but it was her, nonetheless.  
  
"Cheyanna, what—" Before the king could finish his statement, Cheyanna pointed at Link furiously.  
  
"You! Oh, that was clever, that black ball of yours, you've stripped me of my magic! I should have never let you discover the East Tower!"  
  
"What, may I ask, is going on?" King Edward growled. Cheyanna stomped her foot angrily.  
  
"He freed that prisoner, that spy, and then he threw something at me and ran out of the cell! It stole my magic, all of it!" The king glanced at Link, then Cheyanna, and finally fixed his gaze on Miyako, who fidgeted uncomfortably.  
  
"We will discuss this inside. Now. Soldiers, to your stations. The townspeople may return to their homes."  
  
  
  
  
  
Blarg. This is such a short chapter, and there's not much activity. Because of the last chapter's shortness, I posted this one right afterwards. The next chapter is discussion and interrogation, so... _ I apologize. There will be much more action later on, I promise. I like building up to things, so if it takes a while to get there, bear with me, Faithful Reader. You've come such a long way; patiently, too, might I add.  
  
A quick note: Bringer of the Belua, the name of the chapter, means Bringer of the Beast(s). Belua is Latin for beast (I hope I didn't mess it up out of context!) 


	17. Revelation for the King

Chapter Sixteen  
  
  
  
A troop of ten guards accompanied King Edward, Cheyanna, Link Miyako, and Lance to the conference room. The guards divided themselves evenly at both entrances and left the five to their privacy. King Edward sat himself at the elliptical table and motioned for the others to seat themselves. Miyako sat gingerly, as being locked in a tower for a couple weeks does nothing good and everything bad for hygiene and cleanliness.  
  
"Now." The king settled himself more comfortably in his seat and looked piercingly at Cheyanna, the Miyako. "Tell me what is going on. Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Miyako Callahan, Your Majesty, and I hail from Kreya. My father was Nathanael Callahan, First Mate to Captain Lanceton Untille the Fourteenth," she replied quietly. King Edward digested this bit of news.  
  
"Was?"  
  
"He died shortly after my mother." Stubborn lines set at the corners of her mouth and showed that she would not pursue the matter any further.  
  
"What are you doing in Selinta?"  
  
"I was in Lythvia before I came to Selinta to find a ship that would take me to the Island of Light, but there were no ships heading in that direction, so I wanted to find a ship that would take me back to Kreya. I came to the castle to see if Lance might have stopped by, and was arrested by the princess on the account of spying, Sire." King Edward rubbed the base of his neck thoughtfully, then turned to his daughter, who sat fuming silently.  
  
"And you, daughter, on what grounds was Miyako spying?"  
  
"She was lingering outside my room, listening to a private conversation," Cheyanna replied stiffly. The king turned his attention to Miyako, asking the next question with only raised eyebrows.  
  
"I passed by an empty storage room and overheard Selintan troop placements being spoken about, but not by guards or anyone I had ever heard before..." Miyako hesitated slightly, then went on, "and I looked in the room and saw the Princess speaking with King Viru."  
  
"That is a lie," Cheyanna uttered indignantly, but King Edward held his hand up. Link and Lance watched and listened to the conversation silently, waiting for the king's approval to speak.  
  
"As my daughter, I love you dearly, Cheyanna, but if Miyako is lying, then who could you have possibly been talking to that would warrant an arrest and imprisonment?" Blood drained from beneath Cheyanna's cheeks, giving her a vaguely ill appearance. The king was nothing if not shrewd.  
  
"Well, I..." The princess stuttered but no coherent answer was heard from her. Link noticed that, although the king's face was neutral, there was a deep gravity resting behind his eyes, as though he had suspected someone in the castle leaking information; the worst of it being his own daughter. But the conversation was far from over. King Edward looked directly at Link.  
  
"What precedent caused you to liberate this young girl?"  
  
"I had several dreams about her, sir." Even that seemed an inadequate answer, and Lance was looking at him strangely. But King Edward accepted it wholly, nodding. He turned to Lance.  
  
"Lanceton, would you swear on your honor that Miyako is no spy? If you two are truly childhood friends, then her story would be canonical on the grounds that she is not from Tophet and not a spy."  
  
"Sir, not only would I swear on my honor that she is no spy, but I would also send for my father, who would swear on his honor." Lance's accent had disappeared again, but Link sensed that he was the only one who was really bothered by it. King Edward nodded, then glanced at his daughter will sad eyes.  
  
"Cheyanna, I have believed you in everything you have said before this day, from your claims of illness to pardoning you from royal assemblage. But I would have you address a Truth Sorcerer and claim that you have no connection with Viru. If you truly do, speak now."  
  
"I..." The emotions on Cheyanna's face conflicted, everything from anger to indignity to, finally, defeat. Link glanced at the doors at opposite ends; if the guards were still outside them, she would have no chance to bolt. "I have connections with Viru."  
  
"Have you been giving him military movements?"  
  
"Yes." Link had not expected a clean confession, and nor had, from the look on her face, Miyako. There had to be something else... King Edward leaned back in his seat, his face grave.  
  
"Then it is so. The guards will take you to your room and see that you stay there. Your mother will need to be told of this, and I have no idea what I should do with you. But may I ask why?"  
  
"No." Now it was Cheyanna's turn to look stubborn. The king nodded, as if having expected that answer, then called for the guards.  
  
  
  
"My apologies, Miyako, for my daughter's actions. I suspected a traitor had been leaking information—how else would they second-guess our movements— but I would have never guessed my own daughter would be the one." He closed his eyes for several moments. The four of them were standing just outside the conference room, after watching Cheyanna be escorted to her chambers. "This is more terrible than I could have guessed." But he appeared to take it better than many other people would have, Link guessed, and decided the king had probably suspected her, but had wanted to believe it was not her. "What can I do to make this wrong right between us?"  
  
"I should think a bath would be an excellent start," Miyako replied. "Then perhaps something to eat, as I have been fasting unwillingly for two weeks." The king smiled, and that lifted some of the sadness from his eyes.  
  
"Then it is so. I will call for an attendant, wait here." As the king walked away, Lance threw his arms around Miyako and gave her a bear hug.  
  
"Aye, I never woulda thought you'd be here!" He drew back from the embrace, all smiles. "Fortune smiles down upon me, so it does. What did yer aunt say about your leavin' home?"  
  
"She, of course, was against it, but I didn't think her opinion really mattered, in the end. You can't fight destiny; it's just stupid to try. I had dreams about the Temple of Life, so naturally, I've got to go there. Someone gave me directions to follow." She turned to Link. "I know I've already thanked you, but I don't think all the thank you's in the world would be enough for what you did." Link shrugged and looked down at his boots.  
  
"But I want to know, what in the world were you doing in Lythvia? Yer aunt's in Kreya," Lance stated, frowning curiously. Miyako shook her head and pointed at the attendant walking towards them.  
  
"I'll tell you later. I stink to high heaven and I'm hungry beyond words. Trust you to set curiosity before survival." She followed the attendant away from them, and Lance turned to Link.  
  
"I didn't know ye had more'n one dream about her, and stupid of me not to ask what the first one was for, aye." The sailor shook his head at himself.  
  
"The Great Deku Tree told me I was sensitive to evil. The princess is a traitor, and that is evil, I guess. Or at least wrong." Lance sighed and leaned against the wall.  
  
"Sure is, matey. I never woulda guessed. And she asked after you, too. I shoulda suspected some trickery, but never King Viru hisself. I spent a few years as her friend." He threw a crumpled piece of paper to the ground. "Are you still heartsick over her, matey? Has this whole affair broken her spell?"  
  
"It must have," Link answered cautiously.  
  
"But you still don't want to marry Princess Zelda, do you." This was not a question.  
  
"You understood why, Lance. I'm attracted to her, but... I've got a feeling that it's the Triforce pieces at work, trying to harmonize. It draws Zelda, Ganondorf, and myself together. We are bound by destiny, but I don't think destiny always includes marriage. I'd hate to be king."  
  
"If this war woulda never started, would you have?"  
  
"...Probably." Link waited for Lance to ask why, but curiously, the sailor never did. 


	18. Strategy (Story Filler)

Chapter Seventeen  
  
  
  
"So, instead of moving here, as we had planned, we will send our troops on ships around the south shore of Selinta and come up the eastern side against the city of Oun Tar. At the same time, we will send a sizable regiment to recapture Tyulia, and hopefully to lure the bulk of the Tophetian Army there. Of course, they may suspect a trap, but hopefully they will be confident enough to accept it," General Aston announced, moving pieces on a scroll map accordingly. King Edward nodded, taking in the plan and speculating it. Link resisted the urge to yawn and only barely succeeded. As much as he was willing to help King Edward, actual conferences and meetings were boring beyond Hylian comprehension. He would have rather been fighting Tektites than sitting in a stuffy room with royalty and military officers, discussing troop movements and placements.  
  
'Just another reason why I didn't marry Zelda.' But if love conquered all, then he would have gladly betrothed her. Yet he didn't, so did that mean he had not loved her when he thought he did? Had it been simple affection or natural lust? He was drawn from contemplating his love life, or lack thereof, when General Aston inquired,  
  
"Link, you wouldn't mind going to Tyulia with Selintan troops? We want King Viru to fear that we'll regain lost land and send the majority of troops there. Our Hylian forces will be on the ship again, and you seem to have had a bit of bad luck last time." The Hero of Time smiled slightly, but the elder man continued. "I am sure he will not rely on assassins to do the job; brute force will be the only way he'll feel comfortable with, especially after the discovery of the traitor." The general had hesitated before the word 'traitor,' but it was slight enough that King Edward might not have caught it.  
  
"No, if it's what's best, then I'll go to Tyulia."  
  
"Then it's settled, if King Edward will give his approval." The King of Selinta nodded silently. General Aston rose from his seat, and Link and the other generals followed suit.  
  
  
  
Link promptly left the castle and headed towards the garden. The day seemed strange and slow; only that morning he had rescued Miyako and Cheyanna had been discovered traitor, and now it was barely past lunch and already the king was preparing new strategies.  
  
'He understands the war won't wait for him to mourn her treachery,' Link speculated as he entered Castle Dythia's gardens. He felt the beginnings of admiration towards the king, who was practical in the sense that—  
  
"Oi, Link, there y'are." Lance suddenly appeared in front of him, somewhat breathless and amused. Link blinked, a little nonplussed.  
  
"I told you I'd come out to the garden after the meeting." The sailor shrugged and grinned.  
  
"Aye, you did, but I musta fergotten. Musta been all those times me pater dropped me on me head as a child, eh?"  
  
"Without a doubt," the Hero of Time agreed.  
  
"So what was the meetin' about?"  
  
"The Selintan Army is marching to Tyulia to recapture it, and our Hylian forces are being sent on another ship to Oun Tar. You and I, we're going to march with the Selintan troops."  
  
"They don't expect King Viru to hire more assassins, do they," Lance mused as they walked through the garden. His accent had faded again, and this time Link accepted it as a sign. Whenever the accent dropped, Lance was serious. Perhaps all the banter and foolish smiles were simply a guise to hide his intelligence. Or something. "When do we leave?"  
  
"Tomorrow." The sailor jerked in surprise.  
  
"They expect us to leave tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Does that bother you?" The younger scrutinized Link's face closely.  
  
"No. Should it?"  
  
"I never figured you'd enjoy being a pawn in a game of Knights and Knaves." Link twitched, thrown off his guard. "You're a limited resource; of course people are going to want you to fight their battles."  
  
"I don't do anything I don't want to." Yet that statement sounded uncertain even to him. Lance smiled, but not like he was happy.  
  
"Pretty to think so."  
  
"You suspect they're using me?"  
  
"No, but I would be careful about who I swore fealty to, if I were you. Too many masters makes the slave balk under the weight of the tasks."  
  
"I'm not a slave," Link replied angrily.  
  
"No, forgive me for even mentioning it." Then Lance switched to his accent. "Are y'up for a bout of play, then?"  
  
"I didn't bring my sword." The sailor stopped and grinned. "What?"  
  
"Then I win by default, and 'tis always a trig thing to brag about, besting the Hero of Time." The corner of Link's mouth twitched in an involuntary smile.  
  
"No, Lance, you didn't beat me."  
  
"Ah well, I'll get the chance sooner or later." Link watched the grin fade to a smile, then disappear entirely as the sailor cocked his head, as though listening to voices he could not hear.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"...I... 'tis nothing, I'm sure, but I would swear that I..." Lance shook his head. "Never you mind. I told ye I was half Aquarian and I didn't lie about that, but I don't know if..." Lance's voice faded away and he blinked, puzzled. "Matey, what did the prince tell ye of the political affairs there?"  
  
"He said that he suspected plotting behind his back." Link shook his head. "He was right, I'm not good in politics at all. Give me a sword and some enemies any day. Those are the kind of problems I can solve."  
  
"Aye... I thought it were so. I've myself a connection through my mater to the Aquarians, but... I don't know what just happened then. It felt like a great release of something."  
  
"Power?"  
  
"No, well... no, not power." Lance shrugged, then smiled. "Never mind it, then. 'Tis nothing, I'm sure, and I'm just shooting arrows in the dark."  
  
"As you ever were, Lance," Link said gravely, and this seemed to amuse Lance, because the sailor threw his head back and laughed heartily.  
  
  
  
Right.... I posted two chapters again because both are relatively short (three pages each) and boring. I'm going to be busy with TATU (Teens Against Tobacco Use) this week and Finals next week, so when I do get a chance to update, I'll load two chapters at a time. (You might like to know, Faithful Reader, that all these chapters have been done for a while now, and I'm actually almost near the end of Part One, which is already +130 pages, so I must thank you for bearing this!)  
  
By the by, 'pater' is Father, and 'mater' is Mother. Just thought it might be good to throw that in here. 


	19. Phoenix Pass

Chapter Eighteen  
  
  
  
It could have been no sooner than dawn when there came a loud thump at his door. Link groaned then spared a glance out the window. No, it certainly was not past dawn.  
  
"Time to get up, we've a war on our hands and no time to spare!" The Hero of Time rolled out of bed and stumbled onto the floor, still sleeping. He and Lance had stayed out in the garden for the rest of the day, talking, practicing, and making jokes. He suspected he had talked more yesterday than he had in his entire life. It seemed possible, at any rate.  
  
He splashed water over his face, then dried off and dressed quickly. After making sure he had all his possessions with him, he exited his temporary chambers and walked into the hallway.  
  
Selintan soldiers were grumbling at the early rise; they had not expected to get up before dawn. Perhaps after, but not before. As it was reaching mid-summer, dawn was very early indeed.  
  
"There y'are, matey," Lance called, walking towards him. Even the incorrigible sailor seemed too tired to offer more than a token smile. "Ready to march?"  
  
"I can feel my muscles on fire already, when do we start?" The Hero of Time returned as cheerfully as he could muster.  
  
"Not before they feed us, sure," grumbled the sailor, shaking his head. "I ain't given to complainin' much—"  
  
"A lie if there ever was one," Link grinned, but Lance continued,  
  
"—but this is awful early for us to getting to march. Do they want us there by nightfall? I don't doubt we could do it, but we'd be in no condition to fight even if we did arrive, and the closer we are to Tyulia, the likelihood of them spottin' us gets higher."  
  
"We'll see when we get there," the blonde replied amiably, following the stumbling soldiers to the Greater Hall.  
  
  
  
It turned out that they would not be waiting for breakfast; rather, they would eat as they traveled north to Phoenix Pass, then finally followed Tyulia River to Tyulia. They would camp on the east side of the river, rather than the west, so that a sneak attack from the Tophetian forces lodged there would be delayed by the width of the river. A token force would stay behind with the king and protect Ontharn, in case Tophetian warriors came far enough south.  
  
"This ain't right," Lance grumbled, "an army marches on its stomach and they expect us to wait 'til noon afore our first meal? That's crazy talk, Link, and you mark it. When the generals get like that, they've lost some playing pieces up here." He tapped the side of his head gravely.  
  
"Oh? I think I've heard crazier from your mouth," taunted the nineteen-year- old. The sailor looked baffled for a moment, then laughed.  
  
"Why, matey! If I didn't know better, I'd say you're gettin' around to find a sense of humor! Next, you'll be flirting with anything that's got two legs. Watch out, lasses, he's on his way to becoming a beau!" Link punched Lance's shoulder, playfully but still with enough force so that the effect was not lost. "Hey, mate, watch it! We mortals ain't close to your level of strength, y'know."  
  
"Hush," Link said reproachfully. As they were exiting the gates of the castle walls, a voice called out,  
  
"I'll go with you all as far as Phoenix Pass." Link glanced over his shoulder and saw Miyako was sprinting towards them.  
  
"Well, now, I'm sure if you came with us all the way to Tyulia, we wouldn't have to worry about losing the war," Lance grinned, tipping an imaginary hat. "You're looking much better than you were yesterday. You looked like a starved rat then."  
  
"Your constant flattery will get you nowhere, Lance. You'd give away our position with your raucous chatter."  
  
"Nay, never in the presence of a lady," he bowed prankishly.  
  
"Hush, Lance, you don't know what you're talking about." Miyako swatted at him playfully and the sailor touched his forehead, still grinning. Link felt an odd sensation come over him, almost as if there had been an inaudible /click /and now he was at peace. It was strange, but pleasant. He shrugged it off and forced himself to think about the upcoming battle. That drained the feeling away quickly.  
  
"Aye, so I don't, and many's the person who's reminded me of it. But say, we'll be marching. Are y'sure yer up to it? I'd as soon as leave ye in the dust than carry ya over my shoulder. I'd crush my bones tryin' to lift ya."  
  
"Hush, Lance, we're leaving you behind." The Selintan soldiers had begun to leave the castle gates, following General Torris (who, because of his age, was allowed a horse).  
  
"We didn't see you yesterday," Link said after a moment's silence. There was only the sound of many feet walking and a few murmured conversations, but the overall mood seemed to be quiet contemplation of the battle to come.  
  
"No, I slept the rest of the day," Miyako replied conversationally.  
  
"So you're probably the only one feelin' up the to march, you sly git," Lance uttered, shaking his head. The red-haired girl grinned.  
  
"Don't tell me you he-men can't talk a long walk, now."  
  
"Not on a few hours' sleep, no," Link answered somewhat defensively. He studied her face, which was pleasantly calm, and noticed that a piece of her left ear seemed to be... well, missing. "Did you lose it in a fight?"  
  
"Yes," she replied, without asking what he meant. Lance blinked and finally seemed to notice it, then shook his head.  
  
"I don't know whether to strangle you or hug you, girl, but you've seem to have no sense of lettin' a friend know about these things." She grinned, and it made her seem years younger. If she and Lance were childhood friends, Link thought, then she would be about the same age as him. The grin put her at twelve years.  
  
"Lance, the only reason you say that is because you didn't notice. You're just sore about it, that's all."  
  
"What were you fighting?" Link had to know; he didn't understand why, it just bothered him not knowing.  
  
"A person, and she didn't think that I'd be interesting in continuing fighting after she cut part of my ear off, but..." She smiled again, and this time he smiled back. "You must have battle scars yourself, being the Hero of Time."  
  
"I'm not missing any pieces, but I've got several on my upper back and chest."  
  
"Have we all finished proving what he-men we are, then?" Lance joked, grinning outrageously.  
  
"Yes, Lance, and since you didn't mention any scars you had, we'll assume that you're not one of us he-men," Link replied, smiling politely. The sailor laughed.  
  
"Oh, I've got me own scars, but not from battle. Aye, sailing long enough gives you tough hands from all that rope hauling."  
  
"Lance, the day I see you do decent work will be the day the dead rise from their graves," Miyako chuckled. "Even as a boy you were lazy."  
  
"And the years haven't changed me, so they haven't," the sailor agreed. Link thought his friend's grin would crack his head in two, but the Hero of Time decided that it was merely happiness at being reunited with a childhood friend.  
  
"It was strange, King Edward was almost easy to convince that Cheyanna was a spy," Miyako stated abruptly, changing the subject without notice. Apparently it had been on her mind despite the fun and games. "As if he already knew it, but wanted an outside opinion."  
  
"Aye, some people can just feel evil," Lance agreed, but said nothing and only looked worried.  
  
"Or maybe King Edward's in on it, as well, and that was just a ruse," Link thought out loud. The other two looked at him in surprise. "Well, it's not likely, but 'tisn't impossible."  
  
"Nay, I'd rather believe he suspected it," Miyako said ruefully. "It's prettier to believe the best of people." Lance clucked his tongue. "What?"  
  
"Prettier, p'raps, but not safer. I would put nothing past anyone."  
  
"Save anyone in this amicitia fatalis?" The red-haired girl's words were soft. The sailor jerked in surprise.  
  
"W... I..." Lance shut his mouth and his face grew thoughtful, but he said no more.  
  
"What is.... whatever you said?" Link asked, feeling uneasy about the grave look on Lance's face. He suspected there were few things that would deeply unsettle the sailor, and this was certainly one of them.  
  
"Nothing important. Right now, anyway. It's ancient Kreyan and of no concern. I'm probably wrong," Miyako replied, shrugging her shoulders.  
  
"I don't like secrets being kept from me," Link uttered unhappily, somehow already knowing it was futile to mention that. Lance sighed.  
  
"Aye, and you're probably tired of it. So am I, Miyako," he added, giving the young woman a fixed glance. "But it's much too soon to be sayin' things like that." She shrugged again.  
  
"As you say, Lance."  
  
  
  
The troop was about two leagues [Author's note: Leagues are commonly used for measuring water depth, but in Hyrule and other countries of their world, we'll pretend it's common on land, too; one league is equal to about three miles, or 4.8 kilometers if you prefer.] away from Phoenix Pass.  
  
Their conversation had just about died after the mention of whatever-Miyako- had-said, and Link didn't know what a good topic would be. After all, they were marching to a battle (most marching to certain doom, he suspected), and there was very little else that he could talk about. Perhaps he could go on for hours and hours about fighting, but when it came to small talk and conversational ideas, he was as silent as a tomb. Politics, gossip, and other such topics just weren't... interesting.  
  
'He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword,' the Hero of Time thought, and felt a little better. He'd be happier knowing he died in battle than knowing he died because of a fever or something particularly stupid.  
  
"What is Hyrule like?" Miyako asked suddenly, glancing at him. The blonde young man startled slightly, then considered the question slowly.  
  
"It's a beautiful place, even more so after we got rid of Ganondorf," he started, savoring the memories he held of it. "They've founded a new town, getting rid of all the open space in Hyrule Field, but I don't really mind. It seemed so empty, crossing the field nearly every day. Before I rescued Epona from Lon Lon Ranch, it would take me all day to cross the field. Time wasn't on my side then, I guess..."  
  
"What's the name of the new town?" She asked, turning her gaze to the gorge ahead.  
  
"Deus Skies, I think."  
  
"A silly name," Lance clucked. "It doesn't fit in a'tall."  
  
"They're going to build a large cathedral for the three Golden Goddesses, and the walls will be engraved with the legends of Hyrule." Link closed his eyes for a moment and pictured the unfinished building, in all its legendary glory. Of course, he had no say in this, but King Chandler and Princess Zelda had firmly insisted that they record his tale of liberating Hyrule.  
  
"It will be a wondrous sight, I would think," Miyako said after a moment. "But I don't think my plans will take me to Hyrule anytime in the near future." 'If there is one for me,' she thought rather unhappily. The idea that she just might be going to the Temple of Life to go to her death was too ironic for words.  
  
Her saying this disappointed Link, but he could not understand why. She was pretty, but cryptic, and nothing too special. That was harsh, but it was true.  
  
"Do you smell that?" Lance asked after a moment. The rocks had begun to rise around them, like attentive soldiers keeping wary eyes on marching prisoners. The gorge, Phoenix Pass, was just ahead, but Link noticed some of the soldiers seemed uneasy, almost apprehensive, about passing through it.  
  
"What does it smell like?" There was only the dry scent of the rocks, and the dusty wind. The sailor cocked his head to one side, like a dog listening to some faraway voice.  
  
"I don't know. I smell... it's salty. Like the sea breeze, but..." Lance hesitated, searching for the right word. "I don't know. I would say it smells like fresh wounds and sweat, but..." He laughed nervously. "That's silly. We've not any wounds among us, and certainly we're all tired from marching."  
  
"It could be a trap." General Torris had fallen back to where Link was in the troop, and nodded his head towards the pass. "I don't doubt it; it reeks of Tophetian. But there's no other way to Tyulia; going around the pass would take days, perhaps even a whole week, but we must get there as fast as possible."  
  
"This is a narrow canyon, sir. It wouldn't take much to trap us in there and pick us off," Miyako murmured, but the general had not heard her. Lance, however, had.  
  
"It would be dangerous. Block off both exits and fire arrows like rain 'pon our heads. 'Tis foolish, nay, a death wish."  
  
"You could be right. Halt, soldiers!" General Torris called out in a commanding voice. The army halted and waited patiently for the next command. "We'll camp here for an hour or so." The elderly Selintan looked at Link from atop his horse. "Would you be interested in checking out the pass, Link? Normally, I would not ask, but these men have not seen much action, and I would warrant that you are capable of handling whatever the Tophetians throw your way."  
  
"If I could, I'll accompany him," Lance suggested, giving the general an earnest face. "Aye, four ears hear better than two, and four eyes see more than two."  
  
"Then you may. We'll wait here." 


	20. Dialogue at Dusk

Chapter Nineteen  
  
  
  
The soldiers milled about as Link and Lance approached the gorge's entrance. The walls rose high above them, stifling in their proximity.  
  
"We should climb here, matey, and get a better view, aye?" The sailor was not short on brains today, it seemed; the spot he chose was probably the tamest section of rock in the gorge, and it did not take long to reach the top.  
  
"Do you see that?" Link asked, shielding his eyes as he crouched low near some rocks. Lance hunched down next to him, nodding. There was no mistaking the moving figures far off in the distance. Sunlight glinted off metal, giving away swords and shields.  
  
"It looks like they've gathered near the exit. More as like they think we'll try to rush near the exit, and they'll kill us as we run." Lance looked pensive for a moment. "But what can we do? As the general said, there be no quicker way to Tyulia than through the pass."  
  
"For all we know, Tyulia could be a pile of ashes," Link said curtly, disliking the cold tone of his voice. Apparently, from the sailor's reaction, neither did he. "If all I've heard about the Tophetians is true, then we may very well be marching to a blackened spot on the earth."  
  
"Aye, but..." Lance hesitated, squinting at the Tophetian horde. "There's still a chance, you know. And there are other villages 'mongst the coast, just not important ones, yet they deserve protection. Aye. There's nothing we can do; you're right about that. Either march through here and risk being slaughtered, or take an extra week and pass around the gorge."  
  
"No, I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll take all the best archers, and come up the sides here. There are plenty of rocks to hide us, and we'll move slowly, even if it takes hours. When night falls and they camp there, we'll spring upon them in the dark and catch them off guard. Hopefully, if we're lucky, we'll get many of them before they realize what's happening. Or, better yet, we'll kill as many as we can as silently as we can without attracting attention. In the morning, they may be too disheartened to worry about us, and rather, blame it on ghosts or such."  
  
"That's a good idea," Lance said with clear admiration, his eyes large with thought. "Aye, Link, with a mind as keen for battle as a blade, 'tis a wonder you might not grow up to be a general."  
  
"No, I... I don't think so. We should go and let General Torris know."  
  
  
  
The elderly Selintan nodded his grizzled head and reflected on this information as Link and Lance patiently waited for his response.  
  
"It's a sound plan, Link, and I would have expected no less from you. I will have fifty archers ready before sundown, and we'll see who will get the jump on who," replied General Torris, smiling slightly. He turned away and limped (slightly, every so slightly but it was still there, the battle scar from long ago...) away.  
  
"Well, supposin' all goes well, it looks as if we could be in Tyulia by tomorrow," Lance mused as they made their way to the gorge entrance. Camp had already been set up, and the Hero of Time marveled at how quickly the soldiers could work. In fact... someone had even set up a tent for them, which was surprising.  
  
"We didn't bring any equipment, did we?" Link frowned. He couldn't remember seeing Lance put anything on or set anything down, and he certainly didn't bring anything. The sailor scratched the top of his head reflectively and thought.  
  
"No, but I would guess that someone musta thought o' us in order to set us a tent, aye. Mighty considerate."  
  
"Were there Tophetians?" Miyako asked, suddenly appearing from around the opposite side of the tent. Lance started, then nodded his head.  
  
"Aye, a large troop of them, so there was. We'll be takin' care of 'em tonight, so we will, and then by the morrow we'll be in Tyulia. 'Course, you'll be on your way to the Massharte Ruins, aye." Link felt a momentary twinge at this statement, and could not, for the life of him, understand why. It was madness to ask a girl as unarmed as she to go to Tyulia, to surely risk life and limb for people they did not know and perhaps never would. Yet... there was something about her that he enjoyed, like cool water on a relatively warm day. Not absolutely necessary, but refreshing and welcome. "Who set up this tent?" The redheaded girl looked a trifle piqued.  
  
"I did, who else do you see?" Link blinked in surprise.  
  
"But... where did you get the equipment? I don't remember seeing you shouldering anything."  
  
"I asked some soldiers if they wouldn't mind sharing a tent, as you both seemed to have forgotten yours," she replied, looking up at the sky as if for patience. "If you two don't mind close quarters, then by all means the tent is yours to sleep in tonight."  
  
"I doubt we'll be doing much sleeping tonight," Lance uttered, glancing in the direction of the gorge and running a hand through his dark blue hair. "It would appear that we are conducting a late night hit," he added carefully. Miyako seemed to smile at his affectations in speech, but at the same time seemed to be frowning.  
  
"If we did sleep tonight, where would you sleep?" A terribly chancy question, but Link simply had to know. Sharing such close quarters with a girl, no matter how little he knew her, would not be a good idea, especially considering that she was very fair and... attractive, yet not attractive in the physical sense, although she was, but this was different—. He simply couldn't place the feeling at all.  
  
"Under the stars, same as I have done before and will continue to do," she replied, and this time there was a definite smile. "I would not trust such close quarters with either of you, no matter how long I have known Lance, and no matter how much your reputation of valiancy and honor precedes you, Link." The sailor laughed, and it was an abrupt, cheery sound.  
  
"Oh, ye've got a clever head on yer shoulders, girl, but I don't think ye need to worry about me. Ah, we're too close like as brother and sister for me to ever want to make the beast with two backs with ye. Aye, would be incest, so 'twould." Link suddenly found deep interest in the tips of his boots, feeling the blood suffuse his face. He had never learned much about 'that'; he knew enough to know how it worked, yet he never really learned how to cope with embarrassment relative to such. After all, heroism leaves little room for much else.  
  
Still, he was more than beginning to feel the call of his manhood, and the need for love. Romanticism, silly yet true, but he knew he would not find what he was looking for in Zelda. Yet how his heart ached! During those two (somewhat) calm years, they had grown close and knew each other like dear friends should. There had always been sexual tension between them, but he suspected it was simply because (to put it delicately) he was coming of age and she was beautiful. Not so delicately, he was burning, and the feeling of lust was mutual between them.  
  
Yet no matter how lustful he became, the idea of being king was appalling, far more appalling than some creatures he had encountered in his lifetime. And a hero, no matter how famous and well liked, did not copulate with a princess and expect to be let off cheaply. Was it just another point that he did not love Zelda, not enough to endure the burden of kingship, or was there something more, forcing him to keep control?  
  
"Link?" The blonde teenager looked up to find that both Miyako and Lance were looking at him strangely, although with concern. "Matey? Are you all right? You were gone for a moment, aye."  
  
"Er, sorry. I was just... thinking."  
  
"Something you would do well to try, Lance," laughed the girl, and the sailor glared at her. "I couldn't resist. Gods, but you're so easy to make fun of!"  
  
"Aye, well, you enjoy sleepin' out in the cold, you crazy git," muttered the dark-blue-haired teenager.  
  
"As 'tis summer, I would hardly think that even the nights would be cool," Miyako replied smartly, crouching down to adjust a tent peg. " 'Sides, Lance, I'm sure I could warm myself from the hot air you always seem to be spouting."  
  
"You're just a regular jester, Miyako," Lance retorted quickly. "Har, har. There, hear me laughing? So funny, y'are."  
  
  
  
It was still several hours before complete darkness, and Link had no interest in talking to the other soldiers. Many of them were a bit disappointed that they would not be able to be going with the selected few, but that did not stop them from gloating and being all but impossible to get along with. All of them seemed to think that he would be interested in their war stories, many of which were nothing more than barroom fights.  
  
Lance had declared that he was going to take a nap, although Link suspected that his ego needed to sleep off the wounds Miyako had given it. And the girl herself had wandered off to meditate.  
  
As he had hoped, the Hero of Time found peace on a small cliff face several chains away from the encampment. (Author's Note: A chain is a unit of measurement equivalent to sixty-six [66] feet.) He was not surprised, however, to find that Miyako had claimed the spot he had noticed earlier.  
  
Link did not bother to try and sneak up on her; he did not feel particularly playful, and certainly the soon-to-be-at-hand task was not lifting his spirits. Yet he desired company, even if no words were spoken.  
  
She did not look up as he joined her, sitting beside her on the dusty ground. Though it was mid-summer, the evening was considerably cooler than the day, and Link was glad for the warmth at his back the setting sun provided.  
  
Finally, after several moments, Link felt the need to talk, if only to fill the silence that was pressing around them with invisible hands.  
  
"What are the Massharte Ruins?" No question like an easy one.  
  
"A holy place, they say, where prayer to the gods and goddesses is easily heard, and almost as easily answered," she replied softly, as though rehearsed, still not lifting her head. "I've heard it is simply a large, stone temple with effigies, and the holy people there are friendly. Never pray to statues, though. They are only there to remind us 'who hath created us and giveth breath to our bodies.' " Miyako smiled, her eyes still closed. "I wonder if it is a beautiful place."  
  
"The gods adore beautiful creations," Link murmured.  
  
"They do."  
  
"What is the Temple of Life? Why are you going there?" Ever since she had mentioned it to him, it had sat patiently in the back of his mind, as though biding its time. Certainly, it was curious enough that a lone girl would try and travel to a fabled place.  
  
"The Temple of Life, it's a resting place for heroes, their final destination, but it's more than a graveyard. That's why it's called the Temple of Life," she almost laughed. "The Ancients built it for those worthy of the power of the gods and goddesses. I'm going there because I've had dreams about it... and it could be that the evils that have been happening lately are a result of something bad at the temple... and I don't mean just monsters."  
  
"Politics is an evil thing," Link suggested soberly, and this time Miyako did laugh, opening her eyes and lifting her head to look at him.  
  
"Yes! That's exactly it!" She clapped her hands together and he felt like the king of the world. Well, figuratively speaking; being the king of the world would no doubt drive him to his grave in nigh of a half-year. "Many are giving into temptation." Her tone became serious. "People who were good are questioning the existence of morals. It's not a good time to be young and impressionable."  
  
"Do you fight well?" It was an honest question.  
  
"Well enough to save my life, I suppose. I never really thought about it." Then, more humorously: "Did you want to fight me?"  
  
"What? No, of course not! I was just wondering. Do you fight with a sword? I didn't notice one about your person..."  
  
" 'About my person?' Did they teach you such winning language in hero school? Or have you been hanging out with Lance too much?" Her eyes were dancing with laughter, though her mouth remained serious. Link shook his head fiercely.  
  
"I've lived in a castle with a royal family for a couple years. It's hard to spend most of the time in their presence and /not/ pick up their fancy phrases."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Where did you live?"  
  
"With my aunt," she replied curtly, turning her head away from him. Link frowned.  
  
"You're lying." Her head whipped around to face him, and for a heated instant he thought about how fiery her temper must be, and realized that she was probably a Fire element. That explained the hair, at least, which he felt would burn him if he touched it.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Those who lie turn their gaze away," he replied stiffly. She sighed deeply and was quiet for several moments.  
  
"I lived with my aunt for several years after my father died, but then I ran away." Her head bowed slightly. "She must still worry about me, but... I can't think about that now. I lived in Lythvia before I came to Selinta. I was in Lythvia for about seven years. I know running away was wrong, but the reason was right. Do you understand?" He nodded, thinking that some wrong things may be good after all. Like not marrying Zelda. "I wasn't sure to trust my dreams, but they were so frightening. Then I met Esteani." She closed her eyes and sighed deeply.  
  
"Was he your... lover?" 'Jealous, am I, and I don't even know this girl!'  
  
"No!" He had startled a laugh out of her. "No, no, silly Link, he wasn't my lover! He was much too old for that! I believe... that he was my second father. A Sheikah in Lythvia is a rare thing indeed, but there are some there. The Sheikah are coming back from wherever they had gone to. He was one of them, but so... open and kind. The Sheikah, they are mysterious."  
  
"Undoubtedly." Zelda pretending to be a Sheikah had been mysteriously annoying, with all those cryptic phrases and sudden appearances and disappearances.  
  
"He took me in and taught me magic. Deep magic, not the magic that starts fires or brings water from the ground, though I learned that sort. Deep magic," she repeated slowly. "But it wasn't enough to defend a person. He showed me that some people weren't very kind, even before the Temple of Life began decaying, and taught me to fight. He was... a difficult teacher."  
  
"Did you learn swordplay?"  
  
"Some, but not much. I'm afraid that I can't handle swords for very long. I would love nothing more than to be nothing like the Sheikah. I think the opposite of Sheikah should be innocence. They strike quickly with the art of surprise and damage as much as possible before disappearing, but... in hand-to-hand combat, they are not very strong. I don't like fighting as they do, I think it's a sort of cowardice, but it's not my place to judge them." She shifted as though uncomfortable and smiled at him. "When did you lose your innocence, Link? When did you wake up and realize that no matter how you tried, you could not run away from the violence?" It was his turn to close his eyes and sigh.  
  
"I was ten when I slew my first monster. I remember exiting the Great Deku Tree and discovering it was not enough to save him. The great Father of the Kokiri, laid low because of an evil man and his evil whims. It was then that I realized that life, of all kinds, was so fragile and delicate. Like a spider's web with dew, silk and jewels, but so easily destroyed because of carelessness, prejudice, and hate. The spider is not evil, but perceived to be that way because it drinks blood and is hideous. I don't think the spider asked to be born hideous and to drink blood. I think that people don't ask to be evil, but they are born that way."  
  
"That is very insightful," she whispered with startled awe, as if she didn't think he was smart enough to have felt that way. That made him a little angry; being a hero, he was not allowed to have insights? Did she think he only fought and cared to fight?  
  
"Yes, coming from a bloodthirsty fighter such as myself, it's very insightful." She did not blanch as he had thought she would.  
  
"I didn't mean to imply that because you were a fighter and a man that you weren't insightful, but I apologize because I did not expect you to be so eloquent in your words. I think you surprised me."  
  
"I take it you're not easily surprised." Link still felt a bit irritated. He had never been to a school of any sort, but he was not by any means dumb and her tone had suggested that he was, if only slightly.  
  
"Argue not with the cards you are dealt in game or in life," Miyako replied dryly. "I'm sorry I've offended you and your intelligence." She rose to her feet, dusted off her clothes, and began walking back towards the camp. She took the last of the sunlight and warmth with her.  
  
  
  
  
  
This was a fairly long chapter (about 6 pages). *waves to Karasu Agehachou* Thanks for reviewing so much! Sorry about lack of action, but don't worry! Fighting and all that goodness shall ensue in Chapters Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three, I promise. ^__^ 


	21. Amicitia Fatalis

Chapter Twenty  
  
  
  
Lance was still asleep when Link returned to camp, and the chosen archers had gathered near the gorge entrance, nervous and waiting. The Hero of Time felt bitter about his conversation with Miyako, but even such was tainted with some regret. It had been an interesting conversation.  
  
The blonde nineteen-year-old sat outside the tent, searching the sky moodily, thinking how easy it was to become angry but so difficult to apologize. Of course he had been offended, but Link guessed that she had probably not expected an answer like that from him because he had never really said anything particularly intelligent during the time she had known him.  
  
'Maybe I shouldn't have taken it to heart, but what's done is done. I can't help being who I am, and she can't change who she is,' he thought pensively. '...That goes for Zelda, as well. I can't keep beating myself up over something I've already decided on.' Or had he? Perhaps it was just nerves; with him always gone, he would wonder if Zelda would grow tired of his absence and the love (if there had been any) would die. After all, a hero doesn't become a hero by sitting on his arse all day.  
  
There came a stirring from within the tent and Lance crawled out, looking somewhat sleepy but satisfied.  
  
"Ahoy, matey, room for two?" He plunked himself beside the Hero of Time and stretched contentedly. "Aye, anything seems possible after a good nap, eh?" Then the sailor noticed his friend's gloomy mood, and asked, "What's wrong, ger fada? You look down about the mouth."  
  
"I am down about the mouth," muttered the young man darkly. "I had... well... sorta had an argument with Miyako. I don't think it really was one, but we're both angry now, so maybe it counts." Lance appeared to think this over as he swept the last of his nap from his eyes.  
  
"I thought it might turn out like that," sighed the sailor. "I knew she were a Fire element, but I thought you'd get along fine with her, even if y'are an Earth yourself."  
  
"What?" Link blinked, a little confused. He, an Earth element?  
  
"Aye. I've known since I met you, and I thought 'twould be a little dangerous, if we were to perchance meet another element. 'Tis obvious I'm a Water sort, but..." The dark-blue-haired young man closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "This bears some explaining on what Miyako said earlier, but I think it's time for truth now, as we're going to be facing a trial tonight. Aye.  
  
"Amicitia fatalis is ancient Kreyan for 'destined friendship.' 'Tis no legend, though; it is alive and common enough these days. A band of such people consists of different elements, usually. People who work different magic, or perhaps none at all. Ye needn't be skilled at all in magic to be an Earth element; everyone has an element, but they ain't using their magic, nay.  
  
"Ye can't have a band of all Fires, but ye can have a band of two Fires and two Earths, or such... A rarer kind is destined with four or five elements. Y'see, an amicitia fatalis can be three, four, or five people of differin' elements. Aye, there's Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Light, and Dark. I'm a Water, yer an Earth, and Miyako's a Fire... so you see the problem. To top that off, we've all some connection to one another, so we do. I've known Miyako from childhood, and ye've met me just afore your best friend died, and you saved Miyako. 'Tis like a triangle, only... more complex. I don't doubt what she said it's true, but hopefully... for the best, 'tis not. But I feel the changes, don't you? I felt you sad outside the tent; the nearness of it was beckoning."  
  
"You felt my emotions?" 'I'm not sure if I like that at all,' Link thought uneasily. It would be too easy to tell what he was thinking, and he liked his privacy fine.  
  
"Aye... but only if you're close will I feel 'em. And you'll feel my emotions, too, and such between you, Miyako, and me. I know ye've felt the bonds growing closer, a sense of completion and peace, aye, but... if I'm not mistaken, I know our Fourth and maybe Fifth is out there. You're the First, Link, 'cos you found me, and it ain't mattering that I talked to ye first, it matters that you're a natural leader. I'm the Second, and Miyako's the Third."  
  
"How do you know... we'll have a Fourth or Fifth?" 'Could it be... Zelda?' His heart raced a little at the thought.  
  
" 'Cos... I feel the completion, but t'ain't all complete, y'know? 'Tis like having built a fine house, but forgot the kitchen, or summat like that. 'Tis odd, but I accept it. It isn't gonna be of our choosing. When we find our Fourth, we'll know." Lance sat back and bobbed his head a little. "Does that answer yer questions?"  
  
"I think so... but... How are we connected? I mean, do we just sense each other's emotions and that's all?"  
  
"No, by being with each other, we become more divine," Miyako said, appearing from around a rocky outcropping. She hesitated when she saw their surprised faces. "I was sitting here, and I overheard. By which I mean that our skills, our magic, our strength, 'tis like a coven of sorcerers and witches; sticking to their own groups makes them stronger than mingling with those they don't know well or a'tall." She lowered her eyes for a moment and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry about earlier, Link, and I didn't mean to insult you or anything, it's just... when you grow up around men like Lance—"  
  
"Watch it," growled the sailor.  
  
"— you don't expect them to say anything as pretty as you did." The Hero of Time studied his gauntlets, having not the slightest clue what to say. He had never had his speech called "pretty" before, and wasn't sure if he should be happy or confused.  
  
"Confidence," the red-haired girl added, nodding her head swiftly. "That's a big thing we all gain. We're more sure, more secure, with each other." He looked up at her and still didn't know what to say. Confidence in his fighting... that he had. Confidence in other areas... not so strong there. Still, when she walked closer and sat down, a little separate from them, he felt calmer... in control of himself.  
  
'My Gods, he speaks truth, then," Link thought, and confusion stole his confidence away again.  
  
" 'Tis almost full night," Lance murmured, gazing upwards at the velvet sky. "I think we best get goin', Link." The two of them rose to their feet, and the Hero of Time said, awkwardly to Miyako,  
  
"I think... you should go inside the tent. It would be safer." She started a bit at that, seeming to roll his words in her mind as though checking them for tones of malign arrogance, then nodded. Lance had already begun walking towards the gorge entrance, and Link hesitated, wanting to say more as she approached the tent but not knowing what he could possibly say. With her, he felt, there was always that sort of tension that made him feel there would always be one more word to speak, one more gaze to see, one more breath to live. "...I..." Miyako stopped and looked at him. "Uh... good night."  
  
"Let us pray it so," she replied soberly.  
  
  
  
General Torris and some Selintan soldiers watched Link, Lance, and fifty archers scale the rocky face of the gorge.  
  
But they were not the only ones who saw, and the others who saw were not a part of the Royal Selintan Army. 


	22. Bloody Dreams

Chapter Twenty-One  
  
  
  
As night was still strong in Selinta, dawn was creeping with slow feet in Hyrule. Zelda walked softly down the halls of Hyrule Castle, the only noise the soft taps from her slippers. Over and over again she had dreamed of being bathed in blood, fresh blood that clung to her skin and would not come off, no matter how hard she tried. The princess wondered if Link might be having the same dreams, and sighed deeply.  
  
He did not love her, that much was true. If he did, it was not love enough to overcome his fear and dislike of being king. She wasn't sure which possibility made her feel worse.  
  
There would be no time to find out; the war might last one year, it might last several. Link would be gone for any length of time, and perhaps his heart would decide to travel abroad, and not return to Hyrule for as many as ten years. By then, law and tradition would have her married. As a matter of fact, she would need to be married in two years. By her twenty- first birthday, if she did not chose a suitor to be the next king, then she would have no right to the throne of Hyrule.  
  
Perhaps... she could give up the throne, but her father would never remarry, and there would be no heirs. Her renouncement of the throne would cause a bloody civil war, and Hyrule would tear itself to pieces. Then any leader could simply waltz in and take control of the beautiful land. She had no desire to watch her homeland, her birthplace, be torn apart because she loved someone who could not (or would not) love her as well. To make others pay for her own misfortunes would weigh heavily upon her.  
  
Still... love was not an easy thing to let go, she had thought, and still believed. Her heart ached within her chest, wishing that the fates had been kinder and had let Link see in her what she saw in him.  
  
Deep in thought, she entered the Chamber of Sages, the new castle's dedication to the Six Sages. It was very much like the one which was situated in the Temple of Light, only much more convenient to access. Guidance so easily found, she mused.  
  
"Young one, what are you doing up so late?" Rauru, the Sage of Light, inquired. His fatherly, soft presence was something she needed at the moment, needed so much that several tears coursed down her face. He noticed this but said nothing, and waited for her to answer.  
  
"I have had dreams, terrible dreams, of being covered in blood. The blood would not come off my body, no matter how much I tried. I opened my mouth to scream and I choked on more blood. I do not understand this dream, and I am not sure of anything anymore." Her knees gave out from underneath her, and Zelda collapsed slowly to the flooring, crying noiselessly. "I miss Link so terribly, I wonder how I must go on living, when I cannot have what I so desperately need."  
  
"The gods and goddesses have many ways of teaching us lessons; each one is never easy and almost always harsh," Rauru replied quietly, touching her shoulder lightly. "That Link may always be just beyond your reach speaks of matters that are always out of mortals' reach; we must never question the gods and goddesses' decisions, Zelda. You must remember that love is about wanting what is best for others, and being happy for them. Love is a finely made sword; it is powerful in the hands that know how to wield it, but always dangerous and deadly, and it causes much pain when not properly handled."  
  
"What must I learn from being denied my love?" Zelda raised her hands to her face to hide the shining tears. "Would I could forsake the throne and follow Link, but Hyrule... Hyrule would be left with nothing, only civil war and death. For the people must I suffer, to understand that sovereignty is cold and lonely?"  
  
"Link is a strong, young man. He knows that he has caused you pain, but to love you falsely would cause more pain than either of you could possibly know. He loves you as much as he can, but he can never be king. You know this. He is a strong leader, but to rule a country, nay, he could never. His fault is not meant to cause you grief. You will find someone you can love and be loved by in return."  
  
"I want no other man to warm my heart and bed than Link," whispered the princess, her hands still over her face. "If I must not be with him, then so be it, but I will never give myself to another man."  
  
"Then Hyrule will be torn apart. Your actions will speak louder than your vows, Zelda." His voice had gone pitying and gentle. "It is pretty to dedicate yourself to only one person, but... the far nobler deed would be to move on, as he has done and will continue to do. Link knows the world moves on, but you do not. You are still young in your years, though you have lived them fully and Link has not."  
  
"...I..." Rauru shook his head, though she did not see it.  
  
"Speak no more of this, Zelda. Your distress upsets us both greatly, and I would not have you sleepless the rest of the night. I will tell the other sages of your dream, and we will interpret it as best we can."  
  
"Thank you," Zelda murmured, rising to her feet and wiping tears off her cheeks. "In many ways, thank you."  
  
  
  
Please, Faithful Reader, review when you can. I like to know what people like in my writing and what they hate. Thank you! 


	23. Waylay

Chapter Twenty-Two  
  
  
  
Link strode forward quickly, slightly bent over at the waist and moving with quick, quiet grace. The others followed behind at a rapid rate, allowing the Hero of Time to scout ahead in case the Tophetians had posted sentries.  
  
'It's strange; one would think that they would have been more alert than this, if they truly planned to ambush us,' Link thought, frowning as he continued forward.  
  
It did not occur to him that the majority of the Tophetians might not be at the exit of the gorge, but rather the entrance.  
  
  
  
Miyako had tried to sleep, but found it hard to close her eyes. A heavy ball of uneasiness settled in the bottom of her stomach and rolled around whenever she tried to find a comfortable position.  
  
'This is no use,' she thought grumpily, sitting up in the darkness and blinking to regain her vision. 'Might as well try counting Tektites for all the good it would do me.' The redheaded teenager decided the reason that she was sleepless might be that she needed to relieve herself, so she crawled out of the tent.  
  
Immediately she sensed something was not right. The air was too thick, and there was a strange, almost putrefying smell on the air.  
  
'...What...?' She thought, and before she could think anything else, a hand clamped over her mouth and a sword pressed tightly against her throat.  
  
"Don't make a sound, little one, or thy pretty head will go rolling," hissed the owner of the hand, his voice deep and gravelly. It sounded as though it was painful for him to talk. Since she happened to like her head being attached to her neck, Miyako remained silent and waited for another order. "Stand up, ye wench, and come this way." Shakily, she got to her feet, his hand still clamped on her mouth, and he drew her away from the encampment.  
  
Unfortunately, so were some of the higher Selintan officials in the troop, including General Torris.  
  
'I should've left for the ruins my own way,' she thought bitterly, closing her eyes.  
  
  
  
Now Link was truly worried; he did not see many shapes huddled around the campfires, and even less shadows were portrayed in the tents from the light.  
  
'There should be more than this,' he thought, somewhat confused. 'This... I know I saw more than this earlier...'  
  
"Link," whispered Lance in a voice barely louder than normal breathing. "I dun think that all of 'em are here and accounted for."  
  
"I noticed that, too," he murmured back, keeping his eyes on the figures around the fires. "Maybe our eyes have gone bad. Have the archers position themselves in a semicircle around the encampment, backs to ours." The sailor gave a little salute then scurried back to tell the soldiers the orders. 'Not enough,' a part of his mind insisted, and Link brushed it away. He would puzzle over it later; now was time for action. He drew his own bow and took aim. Sighting around him to make sure the others were doing the same, he gave a shout and let fly. The Tophetians in the camp never stood a chance. Within minutes all twenty or so were dead. Even the soldiers appeared uneasy about the few numbers.  
  
"I thought there'd be actual fighting," a young man, barely more than a boy, piped up. "Y'know... ah, never mind."  
  
"If they had planned to ambush us with this sorry troop, then 'tis a sign that we'll win the war, with all the brains King Viru and his generals have," chuckled an elderly veteran. Link frowned, crouching down near several of the bodies to ensure they were dead. He raised his gaze and sighted around the camp.  
  
Horribly, terribly, a nightmare dawned on him. There were too many tents, too much equipment, for twenty Tophetian soldiers.  
  
"My Gods," he whispered, finally understanding. "I'm such a fool!"  
  
Behind them, a large flare ignited and roared skyward.  
  
  
  
Miyako knew she had one chance and one chance only to warn Link, Lance, and the band of archers, but she wasn't sure how to do it. Then she saw the tall, dead trees near the gorge entrance.  
  
'Those will do nicely,' she thought, and waited for her chance to attack.  
  
There were about one hundred Tophetian warriors gathered around where they were being held, and she bet that about half that number was keeping lookout in and on the gorge.  
  
"Well, now what is a nice little girl like you doing with a Royal Selintan Troop?" The leader of the band was none other than General Khegen. He sneered at Miyako before turning his attention to General Torris. "Ah, General Torris. It has been a long time indeed."  
  
"You traitorous scum! The gods and goddesses will see that your treachery is well reward with death and misery," spat the elderly Selintan. The Tophetian general laughed mockingly.  
  
"Oh, how winning! You always did know how to warm a heart, Torris." The traitor turned his attention to his troops and barked orders in Tophetian. The warriors immediately begin roust about the tents and drag out the sleeping, confused Selintan soldiers.  
  
'Now,' she thought, coaxing the dead trees, asking them to give in to her mulciber, her fire. Immediately the trees burst into flames, the licks of fire reaching skyward as far as she could force them to go.  
  
'That should do it,' she thought, feeling weak as potentia drained from her body to create the flames. 'Lance, Link, see it!'  
  
  
  
[Author's Note: All magic (in this fanfiction) is simply manipulation and asking for permission. If you want water, you ask the ground to bring it upward, and the dirt would part and clean water would bubble forth. If you desire to kill someone, you would use your potentia (power, capability) to convince his/her body and mind that both were exanimalis (deceased, dead), and the person would die (but only if you're a Dark element can you kill someone like that). No, people who use this kind of magic don't shout it out loud; it's not like Harry Potter or something (Good Heavens, no!), but concentration and being strong with your magic, particularly your element, is the key. Much of the ancient Kreyan language deals purely with magic, but you'll find out more about it later. Much later.]  
  
  
  
Miyako needn't have worried, though; by the time the flames reached skyward, Lance had volunteered to check out the scene.  
  
"Be on the lookout for sentries posted," Link called as loudly as he dared to Lance. The sailor tipped off a hand signal and darted forward with uncanny speed.  
  
"Dammit, we should have known," swore one of the archers, slamming his fist on the ground and shaking his head. "And now t'others will suffer fates worse'n death, so they will!"  
  
"We did the best we could," another intervened. Link tried his best to calm his mind, but it would be at least three-quarters of an hour before Lance returned.  
  
'Maybe we should go after him; there'll be no use standing around here,' he thought nervously, picking at a loose strand on his tunic. Inaction made him edgy, and certainly this was a delicate moment. "Let's move out; we're going to follow behind Lance, and we'll need to be quiet about it." Almost at once the archers were following his lead. It was unnerving how easily they took orders from him; it seemed that they had much respect for him, even the elder ones.  
  
  
  
Lance was sprinting with all the speed of the fastest race horse, praying that the scene would not be devastated, hoping that he would get there in time to help, perhaps use his aqua against the flames that licked higher. The whole Selintan encampment could be going up, and it certainly looked like it, though the fiery plumes had died down.  
  
'Let them be safe, goddesses,' he prayed silently. 'Let them be safe.'  
  
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Sorry this chapter's late! FF.net was down for me last night. 


	24. Ceifeiro, the Reaper

1.1.1 Chapter Twenty-Three  
  
  
  
King Edward trudged slowly down the great halls of Castle Dythia. Cheyanna had been missing from her room since the afternoon the troops went out, and there was certainly no doubt as to where she might have gone. King Viru had called his little spy back, and to his arms she went.  
  
'Oh, my daughter, what strife you have caused us, the lives we have lost, and the family you have hurt. Your mother weeps ceaselessly in our chambers, yet you undoubtedly feel no remorse.'  
  
Cheyanna had always been a wild thing, a vain, defiant girl who would never put her toys away or act as a proper princess should. He had tried to raise her well, not to spoil her, and to make her care for the people, but all his efforts had driven her into the cold, cruel embrace of Selinta's mortal enemy. Where had he gone wrong? Had this fate been written in the stars? Why would the gods and goddesses choose his daughter to play the act of The Betrayer, as the Evil Lord Grineth had been?  
  
'How could you have done this to us?' sighed the king inwardly, gazing out the enormous glass window, his eyes fixed on the smeared line of the horizon, when sky met sea. It was not yet dawn, but there was some light to the world, it seemed. Cold comfort it was, but King Edward fixed his entire hope on the prayer that Link would not hesitate in slaying King Viru, but if Edward had any say in it, he would do it himself. Tomorrow he would leave on the ship for Oun Tar. From there... they would get to Castle Hellis in Tophet, and then King Edward would see about exacting revenge.  
  
  
  
The archers marched forward, softly, carefully, as not to attract attention, hunched over at the waist, their eyes on the dying flames in the distance. Whatever had caused them seemed to be going out, as they neared the gorge's entrance their bodies were bathed in pale orange.  
  
If there were any sentries, they might have likely been called back to watch over the flames, or perhaps even to... No; Link would not allow himself to think that. It was... too much.  
  
'...If what Lance said is true, then I might feel her... dying.' Small comfort, but it took a heavy weight off his shoulders; at least he had not failed completely. Not yet, anyway.  
  
"Hist!" shouted an archer, and fired a large arrow into a Tophetian that had been waiting in ambush. Several more sprang up and were felled where they stood. Link scanned around quickly and noticed several more. Not hesitating to draw his sword, he leapt forward and decapitated two at once. The third, however, seem to fly backwards on his feet, his eyes locked on Link's. His hands held not a sword, but a long pike base with two slim blades attached to both ends.  
  
The gaze burned between them, hot and tangible, and Link steadied himself for a fight. The light from the fire, though dying, gave the enemy's eyes a steady gleam, distracting him minutely.  
  
"You are the one called Link?" The fighter's voice was thick with an unknowable accent, but he did not wait for a reply. "I have been waiting for you, Link."  
  
"Who are you?" That was a simple question, but he hadn't actually expected an answer.  
  
"I am Ceifeiro, I reap my enemies," responded Ceifeiro. "I have longed to fight you, Link. King Viru promised that I would encounter you." Without further warning he leapt forward and slashed deftly at the blonde teenager. Link skipped back nimbly and countered swiftly. The archers had continued on; this was a fight out of their league.  
  
'He fights well. I mustn't waste time, though,' Link thought, beads of sweat already forming at his temples. Ceifeiro was quick and did not let up. Again and again he swung and thrust the strange weapon, occasionally catching Link off-guard but doing no damage.  
  
"You are a good fighter," murmured the Tophetian, obviously pleased by this. "I did not expect you to be this good." Link did not know what would have been a clever reply, and cared even less; exchanging wit during battle was not his cup of tea.  
  
Unexpectedly Ceifeiro slashed downward against the Master Sword, then kicked upwards with his right leg. Link dodged at the last minute but the maneuver cost him his balance and he rolled to the ground. Ceifeiro grunted as he lunged forward to spear his opponent, but the Hero of Time was as dexterous as he had been at ten. With a quick kick he knocked Ceifeiro to the dusty earth and then brought the Master Sword crashing down upon the pike-blade. The wood snapped and Ceifeiro was left with two pieces. Unfortunately, it did not faze him and he used both ends skillfully. With an apt leap the Tophetian was back on his feet and swinging like fury at Link.  
  
The Hero of Time had no time to think, only react and act. He countered, blocked, and thrust in turn with Ceifeiro, the only sounds they heard was metal striking metal or wood thumping shield. Everything else had faded into the background. Link felt himself go into that cold, quiet place in his mind that he often went to when the fighting required killing. It was pleasant and terrifying at the same time, to enjoy the violence and embrace it as though it was mere breathing, a benefactor and necessity of life.  
  
"You are almost too good, Link," Ceifeiro panted heavily, skipping back nimbly. "I must concede." With a quick bow, the Tophetian suddenly disappeared in a flash of light. The nineteen-year-old stood where he was for several moments, breathing deeply, trying to calm his agitated nerves. That had been an excellent fight. Adrenaline gushed through his veins and sweat gleam on his face, but Link had never felt more at rest in his whole life. Fighting gave him euphoria, but what did he expect? He was a born fighter, after all.  
  
'Live by the sword, die by the sword,' he tried to tell himself, putting his shield away but keeping the Master Sword drawn. Still... he wondered if he would fight Ceifeiro again.  
  
  
  
Lance did not hesitate when he reached the camp; he willed water (his aqua) from the ground, and it certainly obeyed him in great, gushing torrents. From every crack and hollow flowed the life fluid.  
  
In his mind he felt his potentia begin to weaken; it had been so long since he had used it, there was no wonder he was out of practice. Real magic is like muscle; if you did not use it on regular basis, then it would atrophy.  
  
Pandemonium ensued as the Tophetians scrambled to find the source of the attack; many of them were swept away by the flood, but among them were a few Selintan soldiers. Lance tried to regulate his aqua but the water was out of control. It rushed through the gorge, carrying Tophetians and Selintans alike with it.  
  
"To me, soldiers!" General Torris shouted, on his feet waving a sword he had picked up. Immediately the Royal Selintan Army, those who were able to fight, rallied to their general, a beacon of light in darkness. In the terrible frenzy that followed, many Tophetians were slaughtered, but quite a few Selintans were killed as well. There was shouting, screaming; blood flowed as easily as the water, and gore ran through it all like streamers of kelp.  
  
  
  
The archers had been able to pick off the few Tophetian survivors, and Link arrived after the last of them had been killed. Of the three hundred Selintan soldiers there had been, about a third of that number had been killed. Half of that were wounded badly, but none fatally. Medicos, who relied on magic for healing purposes, attended first to those who were in the most pain.  
  
"So, did you finish whoever that was off?" A young archer asked Link as the Hero of Time picked his way carefully to the general; the ground was soft with water, blood, and bits of entrails.  
  
"No, he disappeared before I could," the blonde replied heavily, his muscles heavy now. Even a short fight could take the wind out of one's sails. "Where's the general?"  
  
"He's meeting with the platoon leaders over yonder," answered the Selintan archer, turning his attention to his sodden tent.  
  
  
  
" 'Twas foolish of me to agree to let you come with the army; you would have been safer following behind a bit," General Torris said to Miyako, shaking his head. "You could have been killed, girl."  
  
"Everyone owes the gods and goddesses a death; I put my trust in them," she replied impassively. "I've changed my mind; I don't want to go to the Massharte Ruins. I'll stay with the troop."  
  
"Are you daft, girl?" The general seemed more surprised than angry. "You'll get yourself killed, and the king will have my head for it. Certainly he feels the need to make up for his daughter's actions, but this is ridiculous; I shan't allow it."  
  
"I set those trees on fire," she murmured quietly. "I hoped it would warn the archers, and perhaps it did. I don't know how you would handle this, but I would think that having a person strong with magic, even if it is a girl, around your army would be a good idea. The Tophetians aren't known to be honorable, you understand." The elderly Selintan sighed and looked up at the brightening sky, as though searching for a clear answer.  
  
"You are either very intrepid, Miyako, or very impertinent, and I cannot decide which, but if what you say is true, then I would be happy to have you join us. It will be tough at times, and these soldiers are not always gentlemen, but Tyulia is not far away, and you will disembark after we have cleared the Tophetians. Is that clear?"  
  
"As crystal, sir," she replied politely, but the red-haired girl was smiling. Lance was off to one side, surveying the aftermath of his potentia.  
  
"Aye, girl, you had me scared, so ye did," he said after the general left to talk with the lesser officers. "I a'feard for ye. 'Tisn't safe for ye to be traveling with an army. Sure, and if ye hadn't been wronged by Cheyanna, surely he would have kicked you away on yer arse."  
  
"He would have," she agreed, crouching down and picking at the hem of her damp dress, "but he didn't, now did he?" Lance couldn't resist a smile.  
  
"Nay, he didn't, but I won't be looking out fer ye." Miyako glanced up at him. "Methinks another's already a'goin' to take that job." This startled her beyond words for a moment.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Aye, he comes this way, too."  
  
"Since when did you become so insightful, Lanceton Untille?"  
  
"Since we parted ways years ago." Link approached them, looking somewhat beaten and tired. "Aye, matey, and yer lookin' fresh as a daisy."  
  
"Hush, Lance. Did the general pass by here?"  
  
"He did, he went yonder," Miyako answered, pointing towards a crowd of soldiers. "Did you fight Tophetians on the way?"  
  
"Aye... I mean, yes." Lance grinned at Link's usage of Kreyan speech. "But he fled before we finished. The odd thing was, he said that King Viru had promised him he could fight me."  
  
"Oh, aye... that would be Ceifeiro, then wouldn't it?" The dark-blue-haired sailor seemed a bit diffident on the subject, but Link pressed more information out of him.  
  
"How did you know?" Miyako answered for him,  
  
"Ceifeiro is Tophet's shining pinnacle, so he is, and there'd be no doubt that he would want to fight you. After all, he's been champion of the Kreyan Perils three years' running."  
  
"Kreyan Perils?"  
  
" 'Tis a race, if you please, from the Stone Forest to the top of Mount Hanatai. At the top, they hold a tournament between the first six there. The winner of three fights is declared champion," Lance explained, stifling a large yawn with one hand. " 'Tis foolishness; I'd be so scared out of my wits to be venturin' to the Stone Forest. Although I doubt this year he'll be participating; takes place in winter, so it does, but with the war and everything, Kreya would refuse him entry." Link shook his head wearily, as though trying to clear it.  
  
"I thought you were going to the Massharte Ruins," the Hero of Time said to Miyako, changing the subject abruptly.  
  
"I've decided not to go. I'll be accompanying the troops to Tyulia."  
  
"That's... that's madness." Could he not think of anything else to say?  
  
"So it is!" She cried cheerfully. Lance laughed heartily. "Would I could change my madness, I would, but alas, 'tis a far, far better state of mind to be in than sanity. After all, if sanity caused such hatred between Tophet and Selinta, then surely insanity would bring peace." Link shook his head again, as though exasperated. Why didn't she simply... act like a lady, as Princess Zelda would, and take her leave of the army? He was beginning to see a few more positives in wedding Zelda than searching for another girl, especially if she was as brassy and nonchalant as Miyako.  
  
Still... something whispered in the back of his mind, and he cocked his head, trying to follow it.  
  
"Hearing voices, are you?" There was no end to her merriment.  
  
"...No..." Lance's grin had faded to a smile, but it came back full force.  
  
"Ya shouldn't lie to a lady, aye, but then, I 'member Miyako was never a lady, no she weren't." The red-haired girl made a deep curtsey to Lance and replied loftily,  
  
"And if I were, I would not hang about the likes of you."  
  
"You came so close to death, yet you can still make jokes." Link was looking back and forth between the sailor and the girl.  
  
"If ye can't make light of the situation, then 'twould be a great service to pay yer debt to the gods as soon as possible," Lance replied sagely, nodding his head. Link sighed and walked off to find the general.  
  
"He doesn't have a very good sense of humor, does he?" Miyako mused out loud.  
  
"No, not a'tall, but I'm workin' on that. From what he's told me, he ain't had time to grow up. Was made into a man all at once, y'see. Seven years asleep, lost all that time. Never had a chance to build up a good sense of humor."  
  
"Doesn't make sense, still. I thought all men enjoyed a good laugh."  
  
"He must be tired, then," shrugged the sailor.  
  
"Now what were you saying? From what I hear in his voice, he thinks I'm crazy, and I don't blame him. I almost can't believe it myself, and I'm the one who convinced the general to let me come along."  
  
"Aye, I think you like him as well." Miyako stood up and clenched her fists tightly.  
  
"Aye, I think a blow to the head will fix thine brains." Lance grinned and ducked as she swung at him.  
  
"I meant no offense, ger fada, but sometimes them's the breaks. 'Tis nothing to be 'shamed of, nay. After all, yer a girl, and he's a guy."  
  
"With all that going for us, we should run away and be married at once," she replied dryly, rolling her eyes to the heavens and throwing her hands up in exasperation.  
  
"You said it, not I," the sailor chuckled. "But I don't think he realizes what he wants." She lowered her head and lifted an eyebrow at him.  
  
"And what makes you think you know what he wants?"  
  
"If I were in Link's shoes, I would think ye mighty fine to be my girl, aye, for you would not whine about me leavin' all the time, as ye'd be goin' with me, and ye'd not complain about fighting, as ye'd be fighting by my side."  
  
"But you aren't him."  
  
"No, 'course not. If I were, no doubt we'd be married by now." He batted his eyes demurely at her and laughed as she tried to hit him again.  
  
  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Yay! My Game Informer for February arrived, and they gave SSB: Melee a 9.25! Too bad they didn't review it sooner; I could've used the codes and secrets then. -_-;; Ah well, I've still got a few more bonuses to get, and about eight more trophies to go.  
  
By the by, I finished the ending for this fanfic. It stops at thirty-five chapters, so you're almost there, faithful reader. ^_^ I've begun working on Part Two so I can have some chapters ready for when Part One is finished. 


	25. Escort to the Ruins

Chapter Twenty-Four  
  
"You can't be serious about letting her come along," were the first words from Link's mouth when the general faced him. The elderly Selintan officer sighed deeply, closing his eyes.  
  
"Link... would I could change this... But women are such willful, fickle creatures, and the king has seen fit that she should be indulged until he feels that his debt is repaid. I would not have her along if I did not think that the king would be angry with me, but alas, he would be angry that I did not try to honor her wishes."  
  
"This is a serious matter of war; women should not throw themselves into the fray needlessly. As a girl, a fairly young one at that, Miyako should certainly not be allowed to come to a /battle site/ with trained soldiers. Her best interests in regard, of course." A woman's place was in the home and out of danger, and no amount of feminism would change his thinking; Link had been brought up to protect women and children and to destroy evil. It was not a difficult concept.  
  
"All that you argue on, I wholeheartedly agree with. Yet I do not feel she will understand what you are trying to do. I would send her away in a heartbeat if I had a guarantee that she would be safe traveling to the Massharte Ruins, but after this trick the Tophetians pulled, I feel wary about sending her off. It seems ironic, but perhaps she would be safest with the troops." The Hero of Time shook his head fiercely.  
  
"I don't think so. If it would be all right with, I'll take her to the Massharte Ruins personally, and see that she gets there safe." General Torris appeared to think this over, yet inwardly he was deeply relieved. Trust a hero to defend his morals and convictions to the last. There were times when it seemed hopeless and stupid, but now the general was glad for it.  
  
"If you can convince her, then so be it. I knew I could trust you to press on this matter."  
  
  
  
"I don't see why I should leave." Miyako's arms were crossed against her chest and she was watching Link like a person betrayed. Which, naturally, was the case.  
  
"How many times do I have to repeat myself? You shouldn't be anywhere near a battle site, much less one like Tyulia, where there's bound to be... bodies and such lying around. It's not safe and no amount of Selintan soldiers can keep you that way. Not even I could help you if there were many Tophetians. And this isn't your war to fight in the first place."  
  
"What makes it your war?" She snapped. The Hero of Time stopped pacing and ran a hand through his fine blonde hair.  
  
"Selinta is Hyrule's friend and ally, and I am the hero of Hyrule. It is my duty to help friends and allies whenever possible."  
  
"You sound like you're quoting." Her tone lightened just a tiny bit, he noticed.  
  
"I am. I would like nothing more than to ride around Hyrule Field and fight the occasional Stalchild at night, but I'm here instead; weary and battle sore."  
  
"My heart bleeds for you." He glared at her, but detected a hint of a smile around her lips.  
  
'Women,' he thought, turning away to study the horizon. Light was coming soon; to think that he'd spent the whole night sleepless, and now he was standing here arguing battle ethics with a girl. Link suddenly felt even more exhausted.  
  
"As a hero, I understand that you feel like you have to protect everyone from everything, but you don't seem to realize that some people don't need your protection, least of all a lecture on such."  
  
"Aye, you two fight worse than a married couple, so you do. Some of us poor souls are trying to sleep," a grumpy voice called from behind a rocky outcrop.  
  
"Will you hush on that?" Miyako stamped her foot, to Link's startled amusement. "Lance, you're a fool when you've a mind to be, and even one when you've not!"  
  
"Hush on what?" They had been talking before he had approached them, but about what?  
  
"Never mind, it's not important," the red-haired girl suddenly blurted, putting a hand to the side of her face. "Fine, fine. I don't care!" She threw her hands up in the air and exhaled sharply. "I'll go the Massharte Ruins if it'll make your heroic ego sleep easier at night."  
  
"She sees the light!" Lance cried from behind the rocks. "Praise gods, Miyako has seen the light and is changing her ways!"  
  
"We'll leave tomorrow... er, later today, then," Link replied, closing his eyes. "For now, let's just get to sleep." The nineteen-year-old trudged over to the outcrop where Lance was lying, went around to the opposite side, and lay down. Within a minute his breathing had become deep and regular.  
  
"Aye, he's out like a light," Lance muttered when Miyako settled down several yards away. "You probably argued him to sleep. You're such a willful thing."  
  
"I don't mean to be. I just don't think it's fair, that's all."  
  
"Hist, talk like that can get ye branded as a heretic."  
  
"Honestly, Lance, would you stay at home all day and cook and clean and mend clothes? I certainly wouldn't!"  
  
"The gods gave men strength for a reason, and they gave women temperance to deal with men," the sailor replied dryly. "You've a problem seeing what's best for you, and you'll understand when you're older."  
  
"As though you're an old one yourself," she grumbled, closing her eyes. "I think you're wrong. He's very much tired of me."  
  
"Does that make you sad?"  
  
"No! Of course not."  
  
"Hush, I can feel you're lying."  
  
"Well... he is awfully handsome."  
  
"Awfully, as though it were a bad thing, aye."  
  
"Maybe it is. I'm not going to swoon and hang on every word that falls out of his mouth just because he's handsome and happened to liberate me from the East Tower."  
  
"Do you want to? I mean, do you want to swoon and hang on every words that falls out of his mouth?"  
  
"Quiet, it's time for sleep."  
  
" 'Twas an honest question, ger fada, and I don't mean anythin' wrong by it. I thought we were friends."  
  
"We are, Lance, but it's... getting to be very late..."  
  
"Early..." She waved a limp hand, her eyes still closed.  
  
"Be that as it may, I think if he wasn't so trumped up on his ideals of how a girl should act, I would be very much interested in swooning and giggling, but alas, like a man, he is stubborn and persistent. Traits that are useful but mostly annoying."  
  
"It's very nice to know I have your seal of approval, but I thought we all agreed to go to sleep," Link stated purposefully. He grinned when he heard Lance and Miyako gasp simultaneously.  
  
"Matey! I thought— But ye— I could've sworn—" The sailor was utterly lost for words. As for Miyako, her face had gone nearly as red as her hair, and she was trying with all her might to evaporate, but fortunately for her, Link did not see this.  
  
"But I always did think I was fair of face. Thank you for confirming that belief, Miyako." She muttered something indecipherable and buried her face in her arms.  
  
"Quite a scare there, matey, but since we're all bein' honest and sociable like as dear friends, p'raps you'd care to share with us why you're feelin' the need to haul our Third to the Massharte Ruins?"  
  
"As I said before, girls and women alike don't belong on the field of battle. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her."  
  
"I'm not your responsibility in the first place," Miyako retorted, her blush having almost faded entire.  
  
"No, but if a soldier hesitated to protect you, and no one could get there in time, it would be my fault for not having done all I could to keep you away from Tyulia."  
  
"You two," Lance began affectionately, then stopped, shaking his head. "Aye, I'd trade neither of you, not for anything."  
  
"Anyway, I've already agreed to the go to the Massharte Ruins, so can we just leave it behind?" Miyako sighed, opening her eyes and looking at the brightening sky.  
  
"That's what I said," Link agreed, opening his eyes as well.  
  
"Oh, they agreed on something!" The sailor chuckled. "/Finally/." Miyako picked up a pebble and threw it at her childhood friend. "Ouch! What was that for?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, I mistook your mouth for a big noisy hole." Link lifted a hand to his mouth to smother the laughter that threatened to consume him, but the dark-blue-haired Kreyan heard him anyway.  
  
"Don't laugh at your matey! This calls for retaliation!" Lance sat up and threw the pebble back at Miyako. She tried to dodge the tiny missile but it still hit her. "Still the dead shot that I am, I see."  
  
"Oh, go on," clucked the younger Kreyan. " 'Twas a lucky shot, nothing more."  
  
"At this rate, we'll never get any sleep," Link thought out loud. Lance sighed loudly and stretched.  
  
"Aye, mates, no rest for the weary. Should we make our way to the ruins, then?"  
  
"You're coming along?" Miyako sounded past sleepy and almost unconscious.  
  
" 'Course I am! I'd not let my amicitia fatalis go somewhere without me! What kind of Second would I be, then!" He snorted indignantly. "Not come along, indeed! You've a thick head at times!" When Miyako and Lance began arguing, Link allowed his mind to wander, deciding that sleep was past him.  
  
In truth, he /had / been pleased when Miyako had admitted that he was 'awfully handsome.' It cheered him up; sad, but true. Perhaps... perhaps he badly wanted her to go to the ruins was simply because he could not bear the thought of her getting hurt. A little frightening how quickly he had become attached to her, but then again, it was just as quickly that Lance had become a close friend. Certainly it was amicitia fatalis at work.  
  
She had been right when she had said that he was very tired with her; he was, truly, exasperated, but at the same time, surprised. Had it been Zelda... she would have immediately agreed to go. Perhaps not willingly, but if he saw fit that she should go to the Massharte Ruins, then she would. Because she trusted him to do right, even if it wasn't something she agreed with. Now Miyako... while she was not some crazy, jumped-up girl with notions of women being equals and better than men, she certainly had a fire when it came to making her own decisions. He guessed that she had lived alone for a while and decided everything for herself, what was good and what was not.  
  
Why was there attraction? He had expected to marry Zelda, but... apparently the gods and goddesses had other plans for him. Around Zelda, he felt protective and fatherly, which was strange, but he had always thought of her affectionately and with some tenderness. Around Miyako, he experienced that unsteady feeling he usually had after using a lot of magic, even if it was simply just adding the power of fire or ice to his arrows, or using Din's Fire or Farore's Wind.  
  
He just couldn't be sure of anything anymore, could he? As soon as he thought he had a place to stand, the gods and goddesses would set him to run and keep him on the move. It seemed cruel, but complaining would do no good.  
  
Then, a thought, a revelation...!  
  
"You wouldn't wait for me to save you, would you?" Link said suddenly, surprising the two disputants. "Miyako, I mean. That's why you're angry, because you wouldn't ever be in a position to get hurt if you could help it. Even if you were, you wouldn't call for help because you are just that capable."  
  
"Uh..." Miyako looked helplessly at Lance, who looked just as confused as she did. "Erm...?"  
  
"Never mind." Link settled into a more comfortable position and looked up at the cold fire of the stars fading in the morning light. "I was just thinking, that's all." So he had found what he really liked in her and felt annoyed by with Zelda. Zelda was sweet in her own way, and perhaps she was capable enough, but he had the feeling that she would have called for help at the first sign of trouble, then taken care of it. Miyako... what would she do? Fight until she was an inch within death, then call for help? Arrogant, but... admirable. Not a born fighter, but born to fight.  
  
He felt he could sleep now.  
  
  
  
It was mid-morning by the time Link woke up, and the other two were still asleep. There was a note pinned to his tunic and the Selintan soldiers were gone. Only the gore-soaked ground and pile of Tophetian bodies were left. Little mounds scattered about; the graves dug for Selintans who had fallen in battle.  
  
The Hero of Time saw General Khegen's head mounted on a pike in front of the mass of slain Tophetian warriors, and felt a chill come over him.  
  
'A traitor's reward,' he thought sadly. The general had been kind to him during the time they had known each other. It was strange; for what reason did people betray their country and kin? He unpinned the note from his tunic and read it slowly.  
  
  
  
Link,  
  
As you can see, we did not wish to wake you three when we left, so that you may gain more rest. The archers have told me of that spectacular fight you had with Ceifeiro (some of them admit to staying behind and watching you), and I decided that you deserved more sleep after such an encounter. You and Lanceton may meet up with us at Tyulia after taking the girl to the Massharte Ruins. Be careful, though; if the Tophetians have come down this far from the northern shore, then they may be using the ruins for their own purposes. If it is not safe, see to it that Miyako returns to Ontharn. I pray that your excursion be a short and safe one.  
  
Gen. Abram Torris  
  
  
  
The Hero of Time tucked the note away into a pocket and stood up, wincing at the stiffness in his back. His muscles protested their abuse as he stretched to limber himself.  
  
'A fine day it will be,' he speculated, looking up at the clear blue sky. 'It'll be hot weather for walking, though.' Surely it would only take the rest of the day to walk to the Massharte Ruins, and then another day to head north to Tyulia. By then the Royal Selintan Army would have arrived, and perhaps the battle would still be taking place. Hopefully, he would not miss any action. Even more, Ceifeiro might possibly be there.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" A quiet voice asked. He turned and saw that Miyako was awake, watching him with sleepy eyes.  
  
"About what's going to happen at Tyulia," he replied carefully. It would not do to begin the day with another argument. Saying nothing more, he walked to some higher rocks several chains away to quickly relieve himself.  
  
When he returned, Lance was already awake and stretching. Apparently he hadn't been the only one who'd had a tough time sleeping.  
  
"Bother this, the life of a soldier is lowlier than dirt," muttered the sailor. "I'd not give up sailing for this, nay."  
  
"Where did the soldiers go?" Miyako stood up and winced, rubbing the small of her back with both hands. "Oy, that hurt."  
  
"They left for Tyulia without us," Link answered, rubbing his chin slowly and gazing to the west. "We should get moving as soon as possible. I don't feel comfortable staying here."  
  
"I'll say," Lance agreed, trying not to stare at the indignant pile of bodies near the gorge entrance. "This place, 'tisn't right no more. Not with them bodies o'er there, aye."  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Finals this week. ...I need some caffeine. 


	26. Conversations and Revelations

Chapter Twenty-Five  
  
  
  
Several minutes later they had scaled the western side of the gorge entrance and were heading to the Massharte Ruins, the sun beating on their backs.  
  
"We should have thought to brought cover," Miyako observed, turning around and walking backwards as she shielded her eyes from the sun. "We'll be fainting from heat soon enough, I'd guess."  
  
"Nay, not if we have fresh water," Lance objected, stopping to crouch down and touch the dusty earth. "That is, if I've not lost all my potentia last night. We'll see, I s'ppose."  
  
"Your potentia? Is that ancient Kreyan?" Link asked dubiously, wiping a bead of sweat away with a gloved hand.  
  
"Aye, for power or might," the sailor replied, standing up and dusting off his hands on his pants. "Though in regard to magic. If it drops too low, then ye must drink Magic Restorative." Link nodded; there was a familiar subject. "I've not had to call on me powers for the longest time, but... last night was no mean feat, so it wasn't." The three of them continued walking west.  
  
'What I wouldn't give for Epona now,' Link thought wistfully, wondering how his horse was getting along back at Hyrule Castle's stables. The chains would fly by like nothing on the back of his wild mare. But if wishes were fishes, there'd be no room in the river for water, the blonde thought, smiling slightly.  
  
  
  
As the day progressed, however, his mind kept returning to that wish. The sun began to lower in front of them, but the ruins were still not in sight.  
  
"We should have been there by now," murmured the Hero of time to himself. His two friends were wordless, almost stoic in their silence. He wiped his forehead with an arm and stopped walking. "Perhaps this isn't where the Massharte Ruins are?"  
  
"No, they lie west of Phoenix Pass," Miyako said faintly, sitting down immediately. "I think... think we should take... a breather. I'm quite tired."  
  
"Aye," Lance replied weakly, falling to his knees. " 'Tain't the walking, 'tis the heat, so 'tis..." Link was momentarily nonplussed; why were they tired of the heat, but not him?  
  
"Can you call water, Lance?" The sailor was almost asleep. "Lance!"  
  
"Huh? Oh, aye... I may try..." With a slightly trembling hand the dark-blue- haired Kreyan brushed his fingertips against the ground and several cracks appear. A mediocre amount of water bubbled forth, looking pitiful among the chains of dusty plains. Link stooped down and soaked his hat in the water briefly, then pressed it to Lance's head.  
  
"I think you've both got heat exhaustion. We'll have to stop for the night." Although concerned for his friends, he was disappointed to be losing so much time. He turned away to attend to Miyako.  
  
"Mmm hmm..." Lance removed his shirt slowly, almost sluggishly, then tossed it aside and lay back. "I think a quick forty winks would do me a world of good, aye..."  
  
"If you're really a Fire element, I didn't think the heat would bother you," Link stated off-handedly, sitting down next to her and wiping her face with his damp hat. Her skin was hot and dry to the touch. She tried to shake her head, then stopped and put her hand to her temple, as though dizzy.  
  
"It... it doesn't work like that, silly, it's... just having... an affinity... with an element... I'd not survive.... a drop into an erupting volcano... now, would... I?"  
  
"Are you all right?" He peered into her face intently. "This doesn't seem like heat exhaustion a'tall."  
  
"I'm very tired and my head aches, so it does," she replied almost apathetically. Link took a quick glance back at Lance and saw that the sailor was fast asleep, breathing normally. Part of his side was getting wet from the water still trickling out of the ground, but no doubt it was for his benefit.  
  
"I think you should lie down," he suggested sternly, putting a hand on her shoulder and pushing her down to the ground. Link stood up and looked at the setting sun. It seemed to hang just above the horizon, eager to stay and torture his two friends with its radiance. "Looks like we've lost the rest of the day."  
  
  
  
It was before midnight when Lance woke up, as though fighting his way back to life. Link watched him from the other side of the small fire he'd manage to get going. The sailor groaned and rubbed his back with both hands, cringing.  
  
"Aye, 'tis a burn, lousy sun," he muttered. "We're lucky to be let off so easily, so we are." The dark-blue-haired Kreyan tapped the ground several times and the trickle of water became heavier. "Thirsty, matey?"  
  
"No, I drank before you woke up," replied the Hero of Time, watching Lance rub a damp hand up his back, sighing with relief.  
  
"We shoulda drank more water afore we left," stated Lance. " 'Tis always a good idea to have plenty of fluids in ye afore traveling distances in the sun." He jerked his head towards Miyako, who was still sleeping. "How be yer girl?"  
  
"She's fine—" Link stopped and scrutinized Lance's face carefully. The sailor kept a cheerfully neutral face. "You bastard," he said after a moment, trying to resist a smile and failing entirely.  
  
"So I may be, but I didnae mistake the look on your face when you were a'tending to her, so I didn't. It mayn't be love, but it's something, so it is."  
  
"There is something about her," Link admitted, keeping his eyes on Miyako. Two could play at the trick he'd played much earlier that day. "She's not a callous feminist, which would be unbearable, but she's independent enough."  
  
"What ye said earlier, about her not needing to be rescued... Is that what you're lookin' for, then? Why ye declined Zelda's hand?"  
  
"...I /think/ so, but... I don't know. Zelda is wonderful, but... sometimes..." He shrugged, unable to explain how he felt. "A fine friend, and I may have felt something for her, but... now, I'm just not sure about anything anymore." The Hero of Time looked at Lance strangely, as though seeing him for the first time. "What are you so interested in how we felt about each other? I was always sure that you liked her yourself, despite your claims." This statement seemed to throw Lance off his guard.  
  
"Me? Oh, no! Ye've got it all wrong, matey! Sure, and she's pretty and all, but there are other women that wouldn't be half so tough as her. She's strong, but a guy as myself likes to know where he stands with his woman, so I do." Lance touched his forehead without thinking about it. "I've a mind to go back to Shenalah, in the South Seas, so I have. Their women are fine and so is their food. I'm not a cruel man, I'd not have complete control of my girl, but I do like to feel more protective of than protected by a girl, I do."  
  
"I don't feel protected by Miyako," Link replied quizzically. "Not a'tall."  
  
"No, 'course not, matey, but if there's something about her ye like, then by all means go with it. 'Tisn't wise to keep waiting and waiting, thinking ye might still have amorous feelins for Zelda. Do you, though? Would ye regret it if ya gave her up good and well?"  
  
"I already have," the blonde replied slowly. "I mean, I still think about her, you can't turn something like deep affection off so easily, but I don't think I'll be regretting it for the rest of my life. But thinking about her loving me, it..." Link sighed and his voice trailed off.  
  
"Makes ye feel guilty, eh?" Lance finished, shrugging. The Hero of Time nodded unhappily. "...If you've well and truly put Zelda out of yer mind, then you've no reason to be guilty. Feel no shame in staying true to yer feelings, aye. I regret not staying in Shenalah; I met a girl there, sweet as honey and a voice like music, but I left with me father to go to Mellifluous Bay. I regret leavin' her; she had a barbarous father, so she did, but I think about her often. I know I'm a'goin' to go back and get her. Once you've done something like that, Link, 'tis best to pray over it and put it behind you. Won't help you to agonize over it for the rest of your life."  
  
"What you say is true," Link replied hesitantly, removing his gauntlets and massaging his wrists, "but I don't think I love her. Miyako, I mean."  
  
"No, matey, of course not. Not yet, at any rate, but you've been mourning over Zelda so much, it stands to reason why you've not got any feelins for Miyako. There's only room for one girl in a man's heart, and you're trying to fit in two. And correct me if'n I'm wrong, but I think you've been trying to compare them, see which one you'd be happier with." Link started at that, wishing it wasn't so, but Lance was completely on the mark. "I think you two would be fine together, that's what I think. 'Tis good luck to marry within an amiticia fatalis."  
  
"Marry?" Link raised a skeptical eyebrow at his friend. Lance laughed, embarrassed, and held out his hands pleadingly.  
  
"Forgive me for wishful thinkin', ger fada. I feel like her brother, so I do; there's more'n one reason why I've not tried to court Miyako myself."  
  
There came a small noise from where the girl in question was sleeping, and Miyako sat up, pulling a face at the tightness in her muscles.  
  
"Oof, I feel like I've come back from the dead, I do. What time is it?" She glanced up at the inky sky.  
  
"It's probably around midnight now," Link answered. Lance stood up and stretched. He gave a sly look to the nineteen-year-old, who rolled his eyes in reply.  
  
"I'm off to find a place to relieve myself. I'll be back in a few minutes, aye." As soon as he'd disappeared into the darkness, Link turned his attention to Miyako. No time like the present, he thought.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Sore, tired, and thirsty." She dipped her hand into the small freshet spurting from the ground and brought it to her mouth. "And you?"  
  
"I'm fine. Wasn't me who fainted from the heat." He grinned as he said it, knowing it would get her goat, so to speak. It did. She turned on him, her eyes narrowed with irritation.  
  
"Faint? /Faint/? I didn't /faint/, I fell asleep. There's quite a difference between the two," she sniffed indignantly, glaring at him. "And I suppose you're such a tough he-man, then?"  
  
"No, not really," he replied, giving her a winsome smile. He enjoyed the effect it had on her, changing her irritability to sheepish surprise. "I'd not spend the rest of my life defending my ego. I'm quite happy being ordinary."  
  
"Ordinary, not likely," she replied, running her hands through her hair to straighten it out. "A Hero of Time is nothing short of /extra/ordinary." He doffed his cap politely.  
  
"Thank you, ma'am," he acknowledged, still smiling. She stared at him for a moment, then smiled back.  
  
"I was wrong, then, perhaps you do have a sense of humor."  
  
"Only if the situation calls for it."  
  
"And this is such?"  
  
"Sitting alone in the dark with a pretty girl? Perhaps, but it would call for other senses... and actions." To his delight she laughed instead of becoming angry or embarrassed.  
  
"So bold you are, but not half so bold to do half of what you say," she retorted good-naturedly. Miyako studied him for a moment, her head cocked to one side. "You're not half bad, though."  
  
"Not half bad? I always assumed I was 'awfully handsome,' " he replied, pretending to be hurt. She shrugged, still smiling.  
  
"...Lance has been gone for a while, hasn't he?"  
  
"Yes..." The idea that Lance might be gone for a long amount of time was very attractive... and very convenient. Link tried not to think about... well... no, he shouldn't even think the word. 'How have I to manage to stay like this for so long,' he thought to himself. He was beginning to burn again, that was the only way he could describe it, like being burned alive slowly but pleasantly.  
  
"I think he's trying to play matchmaker," she stated suddenly. He was glad for the distraction.  
  
"Indubitably," Link replied, imitating a regal accent. Miyako laughed again, shaking her head.  
  
"You're incorrigible, Link," she chuckled, rubbing the side of her arm thoughtfully. "Silly Lance, he's always got some crazy notion in his head."  
  
'That hurt,' Link thought, then winced inwardly. Matchmaking them, a crazy notion? He felt crushed already; perhaps Lance was wrong in all aspects, then—  
  
"But sometimes, they work out for the better after all," she added, nodding her head toward the returning figure. His heart soared; silly phrase, he thought, but that was what it felt like. Lance had been right; once he made peace with not choosing Zelda, he felt free. "That was quite a while you were gone, ger fada."  
  
"So it was, I was afraid of what I might return to," he replied good- naturedly, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Lance, you're incorrigible," she chided, blushing.  
  
"Is that your new word?" Link asked, raising his eyebrows at her. She thought about that for several moments, then smiled.  
  
"Indubitably."  
  
  
  
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My left wrist is all fracked up from typing too much. I really like how Part Two's going, but unfortunately, I'll have to take a loooong break from the computer, so I'll try to update whenever possible, but mostly, I'll just be clutching my wrist in pain. -_- This isn't the first time; gods above, I'll have carpal tunnel syndrome by the time I gradute. 


	27. The Massharte Ruins

Chapter Twenty-Six  
  
  
  
Link, Lance, and Miyako continued west, the Massharte Ruins in sight.  
  
"If you two had been able to go a little bit farther, we might have gotten there before full night yesterday and slept under a solid roof," Link had remarked. That statement had earned him a couple dirty looks.  
  
"What's done is done," Lance replied hastily, before Miyako could begin an argument. "Water under the bridge, so to speak, aye."  
  
"So, what's at the Massharte Ruins, anyway?" The Hero of Time asked. The red-haired girl did not say anything for several moments, and he was about to repeat himself when she finally answered,  
  
"The Massharte Ruins aren't really ruins, it's more like a temple or cathedral. You might call it a house of worship, I suppose. The Holy Order of Farore reside there; they take care of the temple and live in praise of the Goddess of Courage."  
  
'Farore, eh?' Link thought, looking down at his hands, which swung at his sides. Inside him, he held the Triforce of Courage. The mark was on his hand, but it would only show in times of danger or when he, Zelda, and Ganondorf were together. Which, he thought with a wry smile, would be a time of danger.  
  
"The reason why I wanted to go there was..." Miyako hesitated, turning her head to face the ground. "Well... I was going to go there and pray for courage, obviously. I've already told you two that I'm going to the Temple of Life, but that doesn't mean I really, honestly want to. It's like... taking medicine that tastes terrible but it will make you feel better, you understand?"  
  
"You believe that by going to the Temple of Life, your dreams will stop," Lance said, his voice plain without the accent he affected.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Have you had any dreams lately?" Link inquired.  
  
"No... and that's what worries me. It used to be every night for the past seven years, but then they suddenly stopped when I came to Selinta. It can't be a good sign."  
  
"I remember, when I was ten, I used to have dreams about seeing Ganondorf chase Zelda into the dark of the storm," the Hero of Time uttered, recalling that hideous nightmare. "It went on for several months, and that was the start of my adventure, you could say. The dreams stopped after I left the Kokiri Forest, but the adventure didn't."  
  
"Avast, mateys, we're here," Lance whistled. The temple stood before them in its entire, quiet splendor. Link thought that Farore must be pleased to have such a Gothic beauty erected in her honor.  
  
"It looks more like a monastery than a temple," Link commented, cocking his head to one side as though to get a different angle of it. Miyako snorted in a most unladylike fashion.  
  
"Well, I've not seen it before this day, so I'll thank you to not trod upon my guesses. I just know it's not really a ruin of anything."  
  
"So why call it the Massharte Ruins, then? Seems right silly to me," the sailor intoned, lounging on the stone steps.  
  
"We'll have to be careful. The general wrote that Tophetians might be here," Link stated, climbing the stairs to the massive mahogany doors. The wood was robust, fragrant as though new. 'Magic, no doubt.' He felt like hesitating when he reached for the great metal handle. 'If this is truly a temple of Farore, then there's no question I'll know if something's wrong. After all, I've got the Triforce of Courage within me, but...' Sometimes even courage wasn't enough to overcome all. Lance got up from his seat and clambered up the stairs, Miyako trailing behind.  
  
"I wouldn't put it past them to desecrate a holy place. Tophetians are cursed, so it goes, because of Scianei," remarked the red-haired Kreyan. Link's hand stopped, and he turned to face Miyako.  
  
"Scianei? The name sounds... familiar." Lance grinned ruefully and leaned against the stone parapet.  
  
"If you know your Tophetian history, he was a rogue lord. Killed a lot of his people and kept their blood in silver tureens. He tried to decipher the legends of the ancient Kreyans, so he did, by using blood and sacrifice to call upon the Dark Figures, but it didn't work. So he went to the Temple of Life and tried to destroy it, thinkin' he'd rule the world with evil. Called him the Lord of Death. Shadeius, the Night Dragon, decided he'd had enough and cursed their land. It's a wasteland, so 'tis, but they've managed to survive. No wonder they want Selinta; it's a land of gold to them."  
  
"Are we going to stand here all day and jaw, or are we going in?" Miyako asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Besides, you two need to get a move on if you want to get to Tyulia before full night."  
  
"So impatient," Link chided, but hers was a true logic, so he reached for the handle again and forcefully tugged the door open.  
  
The interior was cool, a change from the already warm weather outside. The stone floors were deeply worn by the many feet that had trod on it in bygone ages. The Hero of Time could feel the weight of the ages pressing in around him, how many centuries this temple had seen. Torches burned away, flickeringly strongly on either side of them.  
  
" 'Tis so quiet," whispered Lance, looking around with fearful reverence. "A loud noise would break a place like this, so it would."  
  
"Welcome, travelers," a soft voice greeted. A robed figure walked in front of them. "I am Cleric Ambrose, caretaker of all guests and travelers that come here, seeking courage. Do you plan to stay the night?"  
  
"Well, no... My friend and I must go to Tyulia, but Miyako will stay," Link replied.  
  
"The war with the Tophetians is most unfortunate. Many soldiers have not stopped to pray for courage, so we must pray for them. It is good that women seek shelter in times of danger." The Hero of Time could have sworn he heard Miyako snort, but it might have been his imagination. "You must stay for breakfast. You have a hungry look in your eyes."  
  
"Now that you mention it, we could do with a tuck and sup," Lance responded, still looking around the hallway. On both ends the hallways tapered into darkness; for all the temple's holiness, it certainly was dark. In front of them stood another large wooden door, but it remained closed.  
  
"Please, follow me," Ambrose stated, tucking his hands into his sleeves and gliding down the left hallway. The sailor glanced at Link, who looked back somewhat dubiously. Apparently the nineteen-year-old didn't really trust Ambrose too much, either. Miyako, who did not see them exchange looks, followed the cleric easily.  
  
"I don't know if I should trust him. This whole... greeting, it seemed a little contrived," Link murmured to Lance as they followed the other two. The dark-blue-haired Kreyan nodded his head.  
  
"Aye, I trust that 'un about as far as I can sling me father's ship. I think something's wrong, Link. If the Tophetians were at Phoenix Pass, then it's likely they could have come this far west."  
  
"Maybe we /should/ take Miyako with us to Tyulia. This place is pretty large, a lot of places to hide a good-sized Tophetian horde, especially if you split them up."  
  
"I think some Dark magic is at work, I can feel it in my bones, like summat's eating away at them," Lance muttered as the two of them turned a narrow corner. "You must be right, matey; I think there are Tophetian hordes here." Before Link could reply, they were standing in a magnificent stone dining room. Heavy wooden benches and tables were lined up neatly, and several monks were sitting at them, eating quietly.  
  
"We are a peaceful order, and we do not think much of idleness. All of the food here is grown in our gardens. You may seem them if you decide to stay with us longer," Ambrose said regally. The cleric bowed and indicated that they should sit down. "Some of my brothers will be here to attend you shortly; think nothing of it." After Ambrose left, the three of them sat down at one of the heavy benches.  
  
"What a strange place; a house of worship, but they all seem so... relaxed," Miyako observed, nodding her head in the direction of the dining monks. "I spent a month or so at a temple like this one, for Din, and by now the holy people would be in the gardens working, or transcribing ancient Kreyan in the library. These people... even if they have a garden, it seems like a long way out of the way of other towns."  
  
"Aye, same as what I was thinking," Lance agreed. "Link and I think there might be some Tophetian scum 'round these parts. A goodly place to hide a horde, don't you think, under threat of desecration." As soon as the sailor had uttered those words, Link felt a slight tingling sensation in his left hand. Instinctively he hid his hand under the table, knowing full well what would be on it.  
  
"We have to get out of here, now," he urged as quietly as possible as several robed figures brought them bread, cheese, and milk. When they departed, he continued, "This place is full of Tophetian soldiers."  
  
"Do you think they poisoned the food?" Miyako whispered, looking at the bread longingly. "We haven't eaten since yesterday morning, before we left Phoenix Pass." The two men looked at her with some surprise. "What? If they didn't, then it'd just be a waste to let good food slip past us like this."  
  
"I don't know if they poisoned it or not, but you can found out," Lance replied cheerfully. "Perhaps they don't know who we are, just some travelers."  
  
"No doubt that plan would work if my shield didn't bear Hyrule's crest on it," Link pointed out dryly. The sailor looked abashed, then flushed slightly. Miyako had already started eating, testing the food with a look of concentration of her face.  
  
"Well, it /tastes/ like normal bread," she offered, shrugging her narrow shoulders.  
  
"We'll leave after we've eaten," Lance compromised, taking some of the cheese.  
  
"Looks like I'll get to go to Tyulia after all." The redheaded Kreyan smiled as she said this. Link glared at her. "What?"  
  
  
  
"My King," Ambrose uttered weakly, then fell to his knees, the deep wound on his chest spurting crimson. The dark frame sitting on the High Priest's cathedra laughed cruelly. "How have I failed you?"  
  
"You have not failed me in the least, Ambrose," rumbled the king.  
  
"Then why...?" Already his eyes had glazed; death was near.  
  
"Because I could, that's why." He laughed again, a bloodcurdling sound. "My dear, come here." Cheyanna stepped away from the wall and into his embrace. "You have done well, dearest one. Intol," the squire stepped forward, "prepare the troops. The Hero of Time is within these walls, and he shall not leave them."  
  
"Yes, sire," intoned the Tophetian official, bowing deeply.  
  
  
  
Link allowed him to eat a little bit of the food, keeping his eyes on the monks still dining, and occasionally glancing at the broad doorway.  
  
"Well, that was certainly good," Lance stated, putting a hand to his stomach. "Food always tastes best after a long walk, I say."  
  
"We should leave now," Link said abruptly, rising to his feet. "The longer we stay, the less comfortable I feel."  
  
"To Tyulia, then," Miyako agreed, standing up as well.  
  
"No, you're going back to Ontharn," reprimanded the Hero of Time, knowing this would bring on a heated argument. If it could save her pain and possible death, then he would endure it.  
  
"I'm not going back to Ontharn," she replied, calmly, as though they were discussing the weather. "I'm going to Tyulia."  
  
"Why don't we talk about this... outside, mateys, when we're good and well away from this place," Lance suggested nervously. " 'Twould be better."  
  
"Why do you have to be so difficult about this?" Link demanded as the trio exited the dining hall. "There's going to fighting in close quarters; there won't be room for using magic, especially not fire!"  
  
"What does it matter? Who says I can't fight in close quarters?"  
  
"I don't have anything you'd be able to carry and use in fighting; I can't let you use the Master Sword, and the Biggoron's Sword is nearly as tall as you are."  
  
"I can fight with my hands and feet, there's no shame in that," she retorted, all but stamping her foot in frustration. Link felt like shaking her; could she not see that it was too dangerous?  
  
"But the Tophetians will have swords," he pointed out as they arrived at the main entrance. "You won't. You'll be chopped before you can even strike a blow."  
  
"Let me worry about that," she growled, her teeth clenched. How could they have gone from being so flirtatious last night to being bitter enemies? If he would just get his damned notions of chivalry out of the way...  
  
"Where are you going?" A voice called. The three of them stopped several yards short of the main entrance. They turned around to face the voice. The door that had been closed was now open, but it was unlit and none of them could see into the room beyond.  
  
"We've decided not to leave our friend here," Link replied, the tingling sensation in his hand growing stronger. "We'll be on our way now."  
  
"Oh, I don't think that will be necessary," a familiar voice giggled. The Hero of Time tried to put a face to the voice, but it was Lance who uttered,  
  
" 'Tis Cheyanna!"  
  
"How good of you to come straight into my arms, so to speak, Hero of Time," another, deeper voice rumbled. "Most fortunate that I may be able to kill Hyrule's shining knight here and now."  
  
"Head for the door," muttered the blonde to his companions. "We'll have to run for it."  
  
"I think not," the voice interjected. The great mahogany door swung open behind them and a small troop of Tophetians poured in. Lance uttered several swearwords in Kreyan as he looked over his shoulder.  
  
"We'd not stand a chance," he uttered.  
  
"Then we'll have to run for it," Link replied, suddenly darting down the right hallway. "Come on!" Before the Tophetians could take action, the other two were following him down the dim corridor. 


	28. Pandemonium

Chapter Twenty-Seven  
  
  
  
"Do not let them get away," King Viru growled, rising from his seat. The Tophetians immediately obeyed. The King of Tophet turned in Intol. "I'll not have them escaping to warn the troops at Tyulia. Ontharn is wide open, now that many troops have left it. Did they think we'd not know of their plans to send the Hylian forces to Oun Tar?"  
  
"They underestimated us in many ways, my love," Cheyanna soothed. "We'll have their heads on a pike, no doubt."  
  
"The token force we left at Phoenix Pass has been decimated," Intol reported, after conversing with a scout that had just arrived. "General Khegen has been killed as well."  
  
"No matter, I would have done it myself after a while," King Viru dismissed, waving his hand. "A traitor to one side can be a traitor to the other side."  
  
  
  
'Fuck,' Link thought distractedly, shoving past several monks. 'This isn't good at all, we've got to get out of here.' If only he knew the place better...! None of the holy people would help them, if they had truly sided with King Viru. Was everyone betraying Selinta to Tophet?  
  
"Matey, they're after us!" Lance called, struggling to keep up. "We've got... to get somewhere, and quick! We'd not stand a chance against them head on!"  
  
"Here!" The blonde ducked around a corner and luckily found a small study. Lance and Miyako darted inside and he slammed the door shut. "Here, take this." Link pulled the Master Sword out of his sheath, then the Biggoron's Sword. He handed the latter to the sailor, who gripped it tightly. "I don't have a weapon for you, Miyako. I've left the Kokiri Sword I had as a boy in Hyrule, but maybe there's something in here you can use. We'll have to fight our way out." The red-haired girl scoured the room quickly as Link and Lance took up vigil at the door, which was trembling under the force the Tophetians were throwing upon it. "We've not much time, a minute and they'll break through. Have you found anything?!"  
  
"No, not a single thing!" She yelled back, shoving a chair aside and looking under the desk for a weapon that might be strapped underneath. Nothing. "Dammit! Are the Holy Order of Farore daft as well as traitorous?"  
  
"Open up, or we'll make this painful for you!" One of the soldiers called.  
  
"We'll have to head straight to Ontharn to warn the castle," Link muttered to himself. "If we get out of here alive."  
  
"There it goes, matey!" The door splintered, groaning with protest under the intense blows it received. "Anything yet?"  
  
"Nothing!" Miyako picked up the chair with little effort. "I'll use this, it's all they've got that might be fatal."  
  
"Sure, and afterwards you can take a breather on it," Lance chortled, despite their situation. The door burst, and the Tophetians flooded in.  
  
A quick swing with the Master Sword cleaved the first unlucky soldier in half at the stomach. The remains fell to the floor, causing a stumble for the others pouring in. He felt rather than saw the blade of a scimitar brush past his side; in the midst of fighting, Link felt calm. Without emotion he fought forward, striving to push the Tophetians out of the room. With any luck, they would be able to defend their position for a few hours, though help would not come, that much was true.  
  
But they would not be here in a few hours, if he could help it.  
  
"Aye, but you're a sight to see when you fight," Lance grunted breathlessly, trying to swing the immense blade in such a small space without hurting his friend. Link did not reply; he didn't even hear his friend speak to him.  
  
'When we run, she'll have to stay in between Lance and I; a chair won't last but one minute against swords,' he thought, thrusting the Master Sword into someone's gut and pushing forcefully forward. He tumbled back into his comrades, momentarily upsetting their balance. "Come on!" He darted out the door, still shoving Tophetians out of the way. His bold advance confused them briefly, but essentially. The other two ran after him.  
  
"It's no good," Lance called, his head craned around to watch the Tophetians behind them. "They're coming up from behind us!"  
  
"In front of us, too," Link replied, slowing down. They were trapped between two masses of Tophetians, but he refused to allow himself to despair. "Can you burn them?" Miyako was speechless for a moment, then regained her composure.  
  
"In close quarters? We'll suffocate if we don't fry with them ourselves," she replied, heading back to where Lance was defending the rear. "I can try."  
  
"That's all I asked," the Hero of Time muttered, decapitating several Tophetians. "But be quick about it, they're endless!"  
  
'Potentia, don't fail me now,' she thought tensely, trying to focus her concentration to a single, narrow point. At once everything else seemed to slow down, as though they were moving through thick but clear mud. The soles of her feet warmed first, as they always did, then the mulciber crept up to leave through her concentration. The soldiers Lance was fighting immediately screamed and fell to the floor, writhing as they smoked and caught flame.  
  
"Good Gods," muttered the sailor, skipping back. "Careful there!"  
  
"That's it, I can't do anymore," Miyako yelled, putting a hand to her face. Her skin was hot and dry; it was stupid to use her potentia so soon after being ill from heat.  
  
"It's enough, come on!" Link urged, slicing his way forward. The Tophetians were beginning to draw back, afraid of his determination and wrath. He could see the small waiting area where the entrance was. If they could just get there...  
  
"Link!" Miyako shrieked suddenly. The Hero of Time jerked in surprise to look back at her, but on the way his eyes fell on another attacker to his right. There was a strange sensation in his side, and it was only when it turned to pain did he realize he'd been stabbed.  
  
'That's not good,' he thought blankly, and automatically the Master Sword rose to pierce his assailant. The soldier fell, the blade mutilating his upper chest.  
  
"Give me that!" Miyako seized the Biggoron's Sword from Lance's hands, and then sprinted forward.  
  
"What, girl?!" screamed the sailor, shocked beyond action. Behind him, the cries of the burning soldiers still carried on.  
  
Link turned to face Miyako, the painful sensation in his side growing stronger. He felt sluggish, but his arms seemed to be in good working order as he raised them, clutching the Master Sword, to swing at more Tophetian soldiers.  
  
Even using both hands Miyako found she could hardly lift the blade, but she saw King Viru and Cheyanna further down, and more than anything she wanted to kill Cheyanna, who was laughing with glee. She swung it as though it were a baseball bat, underestimating her power and removing the heads of several Tophetian soldiers. Her muscles were on fire; this time, though, it was not from her potentia. She estimated she had about another minute before she'd drop the sword from pure exhaustion, yet a minute was more than enough time.  
  
"What?!" King Viru shouted, seeing her break through the mass. "Stop her, you stupid imbeciles!" But they were too late. Cheyanna was already screaming and Miyako was charging with the Biggoron's Sword....  
  
  
  
"C'mon, matey!" Lance grabbed Link's sleeve and pulled him along, using a fallen Tophetian's sword to stave off attacks. "We've got to get out of here!"  
  
"But King Viru—!" gasped the injured nineteen-year-old, struggling to lift his sword and cleave a soldier.  
  
"You can fight him another time. Miyako!" The red-haired girl tugged feebly on the sword, and pulled it free from the traitor princess's body. King Viru was roaring something in ancient Tophetian, drawing his own sword. Her muscles screamed in her arms and legs as she staggered towards the other two. The Tophetian soldiers had left off the onslaught; seeing Viru wield his sword would mean that everything would soon be taken care of. "Get going!"  
  
"I..." She stumbled then, and that trip saved her life. Viru's great sword whistled above her head, narrowly missing decapitating her. Miyako forced her legs to run and clutching the Biggoron's Sword with both hands, she followed the other two out of the temple.  
  
  
  
They were far from safe; Link was losing consciousness rapidly and the Tophetians would definitely be able to outrun them.  
  
"Horses!" Miyako screamed. She couldn't get enough air.  
  
"We don't have any!" Lance shouted angrily. "Do you think we could just wish for them and they'd appear!"  
  
"No, horses!" She grabbed his arm and violently jerked him, pointing at the side of the monastery. About twenty horses were waiting patiently; apparently the Tophetians who had ambushed them from behind had been riding on horseback.  
  
"Good Gods," the sailor muttered, half-carrying half-dragging Link towards the horses. Soldiers had begun to come out of the temple, fully armed and ready to fight. "Hurry, now!" The Hero of Time tried to mount the horse but was missing the reins by a whole foot, his hand reaching for nothing in the air. Lance gave him a boost up, then climbed in front of him. "Come on now, grab hold of the saddle and hang on!" Miyako pulled herself onto another horse and fell against its neck as she gigged the horse and began at a gallop.  
  
"I think... I think I'm fine now," Link said, his forehead resting against Lance's back. "I'll be fine, I... I'm all right..."  
  
"Shut up, Link. You're like a brother to me, but hush," the dark-blue- haired Kreyan urged. "Faster, horse!" Tophetians had mounted the remaining horses and were now chasing after them, full speed.  
  
  
  
After an hour's chase, the Tophetians pulled off, heading back towards the Massharte Ruins. Lance nearly collapsed forward on his horse with relief, trying not to think about anything.  
  
"Matey, you all right back there?" He could feel Link's weight against him, but there was no reply. "Damn and blast, he's out." The Biggoron's Sword trailed loosely against the ground as the horses slowed, exhausted after the long run.  
  
"We... we have to stop, see how bad it is..." Miyako murmured, her face still hot as she pressed it against the horse's mane.  
  
"No, no time. We must hurry back to Ontharn. We'll be there by late evening."  
  
  
  
Lance's estimation proved to be correct; they arrived at the city just as the sun was setting behind them. Urging their horses faster, the sailor and the red-haired girl galloped through the city towards Castle Dythia. The guards, seeing them, quickly opened the gate and they raced in.  
  
Miyako pulled on the reins to slow and stop the horse. She dismounted, then helped Lance bring Link down from atop his horse.  
  
"He doesn't look good," she said worriedly, touching his pale face. The wound on his side had clotted, but when they moved it, it tore and began bleeding again.  
  
"Aye, he's still alive though. The medicos in the castle can help him better than we can. C'mon, help me carry him."  
  
  
  
Link opened his eyes and sat up abruptly. There was no pain in his side, but there was a bandage bound around his midsection tightly. He felt better than fine; he felt wonderful, but he could not recall how he got back at the castle. Had it been hours or days since they fought at the Massharte Ruins? The last thing he could recall was feeling the sword pierce his side, and then everything faded into blankness afterwards.  
  
The Hero of Time looked around the room and saw Miyako asleep on a large armchair, curled up with a book in her lap. Lance, however, was a bit more undignified in his sleep, snoring rather comically from his position at the window seat.  
  
  
  
'How long has it been?' He wondered, throwing back the covers and scooting to the edge of the bed. At least the doctors had though to let him keep some underclothes on. At once, both of his friends stirred, waking up as if he had given them a mental cue. And perhaps he had.  
  
"Matey, how are you feeling?" Lance inquired, stretching luxuriously.  
  
"Better, a lot better, but what happened? How long has it been?"  
  
"Oh, I'd say about half a day; 'tis full night now, so 'tis. The medicos said you were lucky the sword didn't hit anythin' vital, else you would've died on the way here."  
  
"Did you..." Lance shook his head before Link could finish the rest of the question.  
  
"No, we had to leave, but I think Miyako took care of Cheyanna before we left, though—"  
  
"I didn't mean to!" she cried suddenly, flinging the book at Lance. "I just.... I saw her laughing, and I got angry, I... I didn't mean to kill her!"  
  
"No?" The sailor seemed almost scornful in his reply. "Then pray tell why you ran her through with the sword like a hot knife through butter?"  
  
"You're a bastard, Lanceton Untille," she snapped, running out of the chambers. Link, who had been reaching for his clothes, stopped and looked questioningly at his friend. Lance sighed.  
  
" 'Twas forward of me, but she's such a pain at times. One minute she thinks she has no need for anyone else, and the next she's weeping 'cos she killed someone. Honestly, womenfolk."  
  
"Was it her first time?" Link asked, pulling his shirt over his head.  
  
"I dunno, I guess so," Lance replied reluctantly. "Seeing as she's not told me about anything afore she came to Selinta, I wouldn't know."  
  
"It's easy to be full of confidence if you've never slain a person before," Link stated, forgoing his tunic for a pair of black pants. "After that, it's a question of morals."  
  
"What about you, ger fada, you gonna run away weeping?" The sailor was half- smiling. The Hero of Time gave Lance an exasperated glance.  
  
"Me? Not likely. That's another reason she should have stayed here, in Ontharn, in the first place. Women attach too much important to every little thing. I killed many Tophetians today, I know that, and I had nothing to hold against them, but it was kill or be killed, and you can't regret a situation like that, if you come out victorious. It grieves me a little to know I might have left a mother without a husband or a son, but..." Link shrugged, buckling his boots. "I don't want to seem like I don't care, but the Tophetians started this war in the first place, so 'tis their fault if they lose to us."  
  
"I think you should go talk to her; she'd not let me within a twenty-foot radius," Lance spoke ruefully after several moments. The nineteen-year-old nodded prudently.  
  
"That's what I was going to do. Is the king here?"  
  
"Nay, he left with the Hylian troops. Unfortunate, too; there aren't many soldiers here, Link. If Viru comes now, we'll be between a rock and a hard place."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Sorry for not updating in a while, but the wrists, y'see.... So, two chapters to make up for the lack of updates. Argh. Well, please review and let me know what you think... only eight more chapters after this. 


	29. Love and War

Chapter Twenty-Eight  
  
  
  
Link suspected he knew where she had gone away to, and he was right. If he had been in her shoes, he would have gone to the exact same place; the castle gardens.  
  
War is never pretty, he speculated as he followed the path along the hedges and flowers, and even the best of men will find themselves weeping afterwards. To take the life of someone you've never known... it was a harsh deciding factor. If circumstances had been different, the Tophetian soldiers could have been acquaintances or friends of his. But the gods and goddesses only looked down upon mortals with somber understanding, and let them carry out their barbaric wars.  
  
Link found Miyako sitting by the pond, as he had done when he first came to Castle Dythia. If she heard him, she gave no indication that she did. He sat down beside her and did not speak.  
  
"Lance asked you to come and apologize for him, didn't he?" She asked softly, not facing him but gazing out at the pond.  
  
"Partly, but also I came for myself."  
  
"...I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I should have, it was wrong of me," the red-haired girl blurted unexpectedly.  
  
"Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but you can't help your nature," he replied quietly, looking up at the night sky. "You were right, in a way; I can't protect those who don't want my protection."  
  
"For all my proud speech, I've never killed a person before this day," she admitted mournfully, looking down at the soft grass. "Injured, yes, but never killed. I thought I could handle it, but... I was wrong. Even those Tophetians I burned... I couldn't kill them; I didn't let them burn long enough... Earlier you said that was why I was so angry with you, because I could handle a battle and not need of anyone's help. But that's wrong. I was so afraid after my teacher died... I told you about Esteani, didn't I?" Link nodded wordlessly. "He had heart failure; he clutched at his chest and died. I... it scared me so badly, I didn't know what to do. I buried him and moved on with the world, as they say, but I didn't want to have to depend on anyone after that. It seems arrogant to say I felt I didn't need anyone else, but I didn't want them to leave me. I've lost so many people. It wasn't war, it wasn't blasphemy, neither was it the will of the gods and goddesses! It was just heart failure or disease! Do you see how unfair that is?" He nodded again.  
  
"Maybe I was wrong in saying that you felt you had no need of other people, but it partly is true. You don't want my protection because you think I'll die suddenly, like your teacher did."  
  
"When my father finally passed away, Esteani died during a mock battle, I wanted to blame the gods and goddesses and I did, but finally I blamed myself. I know that sounds overdone but that's our nature, isn't it?" Hesitatingly, Link reached out and took her hand in his.  
  
"It's very much our nature. I blamed myself when I saw your fire rise into the sky when I took the archers to the Tophetian encampment. I felt I had failed in not being able to perceive every possible scenario there was. When we were under attack at the Massharte Ruins, I wanted to kick myself for not agreeing to let you come along with us to Tyulia. Now, Selinta may lose the war, and that is a great loss that I'll blame myself with. But I have to let you know, no matter how awkwardly this is going to come out, that I admire you for everything you've done."  
  
"It's nothing compared to what you did, back at the monastery," Miyako replied gently, looking at him. Link shook his head, trying to find words for everything he had to say.  
  
"No, don't compare us. What you did is nothing short of daring; you stepped into your first real battle, unarmed, barely trained, and with a sword too big for you, and relied on no one to warn you against an attack. For the longest time, I wasn't certain why I felt attracted to you. Sure, the reason came to me that night, but I didn't know it until I saw it in action. I'll never have to worry about protecting you, because you're capable enough to take care of yourself. I've wanted that so much in a girl, I didn't even know it." Miyako shook her head, but didn't say anything. "It's too early to say that I might be in love with you, but give me a few more hours." That made her smile.  
  
"You're incorrigible, Link, and don't you dare say 'indubitably.' " He grinned, tightening his hold on her hand slightly. "After the war, will you come with me?"  
  
"To where?"  
  
"The Temple of Life."  
  
"If we're still around to see the end of the war... indubitably." She pulled a face at him, and Link laughed good-naturedly, then stopped after a moment. "But the war could go on for years."  
  
"Not unless you kill King Viru, and soon," she declared fiercely, gripping his hand with both of hers and turning her whole body to face him. "You have to kill him, I don't care what it takes. If he comes here to attack the castle, shoot him with an arrow or something."  
  
"King Edward may want the pleasure of that," Link pointed out cautiously, "and the opportunity might not arise soon enough." Miyako sighed, shrugging.  
  
"I guess we'll just have to seen, then." The Hero of Time frowned in thought. "What are you thinking about? You always get that 'brooding hero' look when you think."  
  
"What will you do after you go to the Temple of Life, and do whatever you need to do?" She appeared to think this over, and Link noted that her hair was soft in the moonlight.  
  
"I don't know, but Lance always said Shenalah was a beautiful place. I might go there, or I might go back to Kreya to see my aunt for a bit, but I won't stay long. Why do you ask?" Then, with uncertainty, "Are you going back to Hyrule?"  
  
"...I don't know if I want to go back to Hyrule. At least, not right afterwards," he added quickly. "I might, after a while. There's just too much see outside of my homeland. If Hyrule needs me, then I'll go back, but if not... I'll see if I can't change my luck in sailing with Lance and his father, and their crew." Link locked his eyes with her. "Would you come with me, if I did?"  
  
"If you wanted me to," she answered, gazing right back at him.  
  
"And if I wanted you to?"  
  
"Indubitably," she laughed. "But I thought you said it was much too soon to tell, or did you forget?"  
  
"Even a hero can be wrong, you know," he returned in a low voice.  
  
"Really? I thought I'd never see the day," she gasped, feigning amazement.  
  
"It's nighttime, actually," Link corrected, winking at her. He leaned in to kiss her, but before their mouths could touch he heard a frantic voice call out,  
  
"Matey?! Link?!" He pulled back in surprise, and the moment shattered like fine crystal.  
  
"Lance, you have /horrible/ timing," he growled when the sailor stumbled into the clearing.  
  
"Be that as it may, ger fada," he grunted dryly, his arms folded across his chest, "I thought ye'd might like to know that King Viru has a whole mess of Tophetians gathered at Ontharn. The city's burning as we speak."  
  
"What?!" The other two leapt to their feet at once.  
  
"Aye, they came up suddenly, attackin' and yellin' like there was no tomorrow." Link swore loudly then ran back to the castle. Lance stopped Miyako, a grin on his face.  
  
"So, what happened, pray tell? And do ye forgive me?"  
  
"Lance, you're my friend, but you're still a bastard."  
  
"Good enough, aye, and what did Our Hero say to you?" Miyako swatted at him and he danced away. " 'Tis an honest question what deserves an honest answer!"  
  
"That's none of your business, for all your meddling, Lance, now get a move on it!"  
  
  
  
"How long has this been going on?" Link asked the queen, the two of them watching the city burn to ashes from the castle top. Queen Eloisa sighed tearfully, dabbing at her face with a lace kerchief.  
  
"For about thirty minutes now. I sent Lanceton after you as quickly as I could, but apparently 'twas not quick enough. There are not enough soldiers here to keep the Tophetians at bay. Surely, this is a lost battle."  
  
"Have the guards bar all the gates tightly, and have many buckets of water ready, in case they set fire to the wood," Link ordered, his eyes still locked on the burning city. "If any city dwellers come here, bring them in at once. When the Tophetians attack, have the archers at the ready on top of the fortifications, firing in ranks. We've not lost yet, Your Highness."  
  
  
  
King Viru studied the castle with streaming eyes; the smoke from the fires burned them, and they watered copiously. In his own twisted way, he had adored Cheyanna for her cunning and loyalty to him, and had been most upset when Miyako had killed her.  
  
"Sire, the army is ready to march to the castle," Intol announced uneasily. Whenever the King of Tophet had that look on his face, it was almost impossible to tell what he might do.  
  
"Good, we'll begin the march in the morning. Have our archers ready as well, at the front, with lit arrows. We shall burn their gates and storm the castle."  
  
  
  
"Is it terribly bad, then?" Miyako asked when she and Lance met up with Link inside the Great Hall. The Hero of Time nodded his head.  
  
"They're burning the city as we speak, but there's nothing we can do. We can't afford to have the queen send out the remaining soldiers, otherwise we'd have no guards. If any of the city dwellers come here, I told her to let them in, but... other than that..." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. "We can only hope that King Edward, General Aston, and the Royal Hylian Army returns soon. If not... we're in for a long siege."  
  
"Aye, we'll be penned in here like rats in cages, so we will," Lance remarked, studying a great tapestry of the Golden Goddesses ascending into the heavens. "Hyrule is the only land forged directly by those goddesses, ye know..."  
  
"We were just lucky, I guess," Link replied, smiling in spite of himself.  
  
"The blessed land," the sailor continued, as though he did not hear Link. "It would be fine if all the countries could have their own heroes, as Hyrule does. It was unbearable land afore the goddesses descended upon it. The ancient Kreyans referred to is as 'the Desolation.' " Lance shook himself out of his spoken reverie. "Aye, but I was just thinkin', how nice 'twould be if the goddesses could help us now, eh?"  
  
"If wishes were fishes there'd be no room left in the river for water," Miyako recited carefully, nodding her head. Link looked at her in surprise; he had always thought that had been a Hylian proverb. "What can we do, then, to help the guards?"  
  
"Fletch arrows, but I've not much skill in that area," Link admitted. "It's easier to buy them than to make them, but with the city as it is... hopefully there is a good store in the armory. Have either of you skill with bows?"  
  
"I can shoot 'em, aye, but if you're meaning for me to hit someone, it might take a few tries," Lance replied, smiling sheepishly.  
  
"I've got a little skill with the bow," Miyako added, shrugging, "but I wouldn't win any contests."  
  
"Well, when the Tophetians attack, we'll join the guards on the wall and fire arrows with the rest of them. That's all we can do, unless we can get a message to Ashara to send a ship to Hyrule for reinforcements, but by then, I think, we'll either be dead or triumphant."  
  
"How optimistic," noted the red-haired girl grimly. The Hero of Time shrugged helplessly.  
  
"To be honest, there's no difference between pessimism and realism. You both should try and get some sleep; I've got a feeling they'll be attacking in the morning. Call it a hunch, but I bet King Viru's troops need a little rest, too."  
  
"And what will you be doin, ger fada?" Lance inquired.  
  
"I'm going to try and think of a plan to hold them off as long as possible, and hopefully not get too many Selintan soldiers killed," responded Link. "Arrows won't do the trick forever, and even with water the gates won't stand against fire for long."  
  
"Then we'll help you; surely three minds are better than one," Miyako offered. Link shook his head.  
  
"No, I need a little time to think by myself." Lance nodded sagely.  
  
"Aye, he'll not be distracted by you, Miyako." Link smothered a laugh and cocked an eyebrow at the sailor.  
  
"That goes for you too, Lance."  
  
"What? But... but yer me matey! I'll not leave ye alone to sit and take all the responsibility 'pon yourself!"  
  
"Lance, it's my duty to Hyrule, as Selinta's ally, to aid them in any way possible during the war. Neither of you have that sort of tie to this war; in fact, if you wanted to, you could both leave right now and be done with it."  
  
"Why would we abandon you, our First, in your time of need?" Miyako uttered fiercely, planting her hands on her hips. "For all your pretty talk in the garden, Link, you can be quite a stubborn mule. If you're going to fight this war, then it's our duty as your Second and Third to fight with you." Before Link could reply, Lance added,  
  
"Aye, and you're not goin' to take all the action for yourself, now are you, matey? No, I don't think so. Sworn to your side by amicitia fatalis, that's where we'll stay 'til this war's over or we've no strength to pull breath into our lungs!" The nineteen-year-old looked back and forth between the two set faces, and closed his eyes.  
  
"It's no wonder you treat each other like brother and sister; it certainly seems that way. If you're going to come with me to the conference room, then let's go."  
  
  
  
Lance admired the little toy soldiers and figures of castles and guard towers as Link unrolled the map. He picked up one of the small wooden ships carefully  
  
"We've got to assume that the Hylian troops and King Edward arrived successfully at Oun Tar," he stated, nudging it towards said city on the scroll chart. "It would be naïve to think that they might return in time to help us in any way. However," he added, plucking a soldier from Lance's fingers, "if we can get word to General Torris at Tyulia, they /might/ be able to get here before we're too battle weary."  
  
"All well and said, matey, but let's pretend we can't get out of the castle." Lance's accent disappeared as he settled down and became serious. "We'll have to rely solely on the skills of those who're here. Namely the Selintan soldiers."  
  
"I've already told Queen Eloisa to keep the guards alert with buckets of water and arrows, but I don't know if that'll be enough to keep them at bay for long. No doubt they'll have archers of their own, firing right back."  
  
"We'll need something great, then," Miyako sighed, shaking her head. "If only you still had that black ball of Shadeius..." To Link's amusement, Lance touched his forehead in fear.  
  
"You'll be referring to the Night Orb, then?"  
  
"Aye, that same one," Miyako nodded. "He threw it at Cheyanna. Perhaps..." A gleam appeared in her eye. "Perhaps it's still in the East Tower?"  
  
"What good would it do for us broken?" Link asked, sitting back in his chair. Lance made a disparaging noise in the back of his throat.  
  
"Matey, nothing the Seven Dragons made is truly breakable; 'tis the legend of the Master Sword itself, so 'tis, forged by Volcanis the Fire Dragon. I'm sure, given the right circumstances, that it'd put itself back together."  
  
"King Edward didn't want us to use the monsters to fight the Tophetians, though," the Hero of Time reminded him.  
  
"Aye, and they say fight fire with fire," the sailor argued, "so we'll fight monsters with monsters." The half-Kreyan half-Aquarian rose to his feet. "In the East Tower, ye said?"  
  
"At the very top cell," Miyako confirmed. "Are you going, then?"  
  
"Aye, and I'll leave you two alone to... discuss plans," winked the sailor, whistling as he strode out of the conference room. Link shook his head, as though in disapproval.  
  
"Honestly..."  
  
"I'm sure he means well," Miyako shrugged, blushing a little. "Lance was always an altruistic fellow." Link appeared to think this over, then smiled charmingly at her.  
  
"Shenalah will be a fine place to go to after the Temple of Life," he told her. She blinked innocence at him. "If you'd have me with you, that is."  
  
"I won't say indubitably, but Link, I would be more than happy to have your company." He reached over and touched her hand, searching her green eyes as he repositioned his chair closer to her.  
  
"I think I was wrong again, it's not taken a few hours," he said seriously. A slow smile spread on her face, and she raised her other hand to cover it, her eyes shining. "I hope this war ends soon, though it's not likely. It would be wonderful to spend more time with you. Still, even if I think I'm beginning to fall in love with you, I can't help but think about the people of Ontharn..."  
  
"Link, you'd make a fine general, but I don't think you'd take such a weighty position." The young blonde man shook his head.  
  
"I'll never be a general. Strategy, I may have, but being a general means staying in one place, even if there is some action in it. After this war I am going to see more of the world. I've stayed in a forest for ten years of my life and in Hyrule for all of it, and it's time to get moving. Hyrule is not the only country in need of heroes. I may not like being depended on so frequently, but I'd not change it if I could."  
  
"Neither would I," Miyako murmured as he leaned forward to kiss her. And this time, there was no interruption.  
  
  
  
Link could have sworn that he had not been kissing Miyako for more than a minute, but Lance seemed to return mere seconds after they had begun.  
  
"I'd hate to interrupt such profound discussion," chuckled the sailor happily, "but I'll gotten the Night Orb, and 'tis whole, it is." The Hero of Time pulled back reluctantly.  
  
"Oh... that's great, but you didn't have to hurry," he responded. Lance laughed heartily.  
  
"What's so funny?" demanded the nineteen-year-old.  
  
"Link, I been gone for the better half of an hour!" The sailor carefully bowled the ball across the table towards him, still laughing fit to bust. Miyako put a hand to her face and flushed beneath it, shaking her head, and Link scowled at his friend. "Oh, to be young and in love, such sweethearts as—"  
  
"Hush, Lance," the Hero of Time chided, coloring in spite of himself. "We'll have to ask Queen Eloisa for permission, though; with King Edward gone, she's the one with the highest authority here."  
  
  
  
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[groans] Can you say "Shiniki suxx0rs at writing romance?" Great, I knew you could! Anyway, this is a longish chapter (seven pages, about), and hopefully it has enough action and not a lot of romance so that I don't have to change the genre. Although I might have to consider adding "Romance" as the secondary genre in Part Two, even though I am trying to stay away from it. Because if I get all red in the face just writing them /kissing/, how is it going to be if people request for flat-out sex? -_-;; No, Shiniki don't play that. All right, I'll be quiet, but only if you promise to review. Good review, bad review, it's all good in the end. (And what a lame chapter title, I know!) 


	30. Besieged!

Chapter Twenty-Nine  
  
  
  
General Torris sighed as the scouts reported no signs of Tophetian soldiers. Could they have been lured away from Ontharn to weaken the forces at Castle Dythia? Tyulia was nothing more than the charred remains of buildings and bodies. The soldiers had not been able to find any survivors, and if they did...  
  
What condition would they be in?  
  
The elderly Selintan sighed and looked up at the darkened sky, praying for a sign. They would stay a few days, then march back to Ontharn.  
  
  
  
It was a grim morning and a cloudy day when the Tophetians began their assault on Castle Dythia. Link stood on the highest parapet with three dozen or so Selintan soldiers.  
  
'If the sun appears, it will be to our advantage,' he thought, looking down at the merciless warriors. 'Small hope, but maybe it will work...'  
  
"Should we begin firing, sir?" An guard asked nervously. "I'm not very good with the bow, I should've taken more archery classes, aye, but—"  
  
"Hush," chided another guard, "we've not time to hear your nervous sputtering, Miles." The chastised guard flushed and fell silent.  
  
"We'll wait a while longer, hopefully Viru will send more of his soldiers to attack the gate, and that way even stray arrows may find a mark," the Hero of Time stated, keeping his eyes on the distant figure.  
  
The guards on the lower bulwark were having a better time, though, as after the gates had been thoroughly soaked, the fire would not hold to it and soon died out. Tophetians muttered curses as they continued to assault the massive wooden entrance.  
  
  
  
"King Viru, sir? The gates won't set alit," a young Tophetian soldier reported, shifting from foot to foot nervously. The King of Tophetians was not known for his kindness to bearers of bad news. But Viru seemed almost cheerful, grinning wickedly as he hailed a familiar figure on the parapet.  
  
"They won't, eh? Well, then, we'll just have to crash in," he announced, motioning for the soldiers to pick up a large battering ram they had salvaged from the beams of a building in Ontharn. "Have the warriors at the ready, their visors down and their armor tight. Those guards aren't up there with Sir High and Mighty for no reason a'tall."  
  
  
  
"They've begun to pick up a battering ram, Link!" A guard from the lower bulwark bellowed up. "I think you should begin firing!"  
  
"We'll wait a bit longer!" he shouted back. "We'll not waste arrows so soon!"  
  
"Do you think that's wise, really?" Mystu, Lance's friend, asked nervously, all but scuttling around the upper parapet.  
  
"If the guards aren't skilled archers, then we can't hit them good from this distance. We'll have to wait until they move in closer."  
  
"Gods, but I wish Torris and his fellows were here," the guard named Miles groaned. "They've good archers among them, Stephen being one of them."  
  
"Didn't I tell you to shut it?" The second guard growled. "It's no use wishing for things we obviously ain't got, and it's doing me no good to hear your whining voice."  
  
"Both of you, hush. Miles is just voicing what we're all thinking," an older guard snapped. "And you, Jacob, one would think you've got the most seniority here. I've not the ear for your insolence any more. Now both of you, stuff it until we get the orders to fire."  
  
"If there only was a way to get word to Torris," Mystu said helplessly, peering over the edge. Link pushed him back slightly.  
  
"You don't want to get hit," he cautioned. "Duck!" The guards ducked just as a volley of arrows whirred by their heads like angry wasps. "Damn, they've got good archers! Begin firing!" Link shouted, gripping his own bow and drawing an arrow. The Selintan guards retaliated as best they could, but not an arrow aside from Link and Miles' found a mark.  
  
"I've been hit!" screamed a guard, clutching his chest and tumbling over the side of the parapet. It was a long drop to the castle ground and all present (including Link) winced when they heard the crunch of metal and bones far below.  
  
"This is no use," the Hero of Time muttered to himself. "They're not sufficiently skilled to hit enough Tophetians to make a difference."  
  
"Would a catapult help? Mystu inquired anxiously. Link looked at him sharply. "Just... just a suggestion..."  
  
"There's a catapult on castle grounds?" He asked skeptically. "And you didn't tell me?"  
  
"Well... it's not the best one, but it's the one King Edward and the Hylian troops left behind. Its center is a bit off, and risky to use..." babbled the artist.  
  
"Where is it?" The nineteen-year-old demanded, hunching down against the protection of the wall.  
  
"It should be in the outside armory, near the stables," Mystu replied, cringing as several arrows found their mark among the Selintan guards. "But it'll take twenty men to budge it!"  
  
"Never mind, tell the men to keep firing, I'll go get it," Link responded, crouching down as he darted back into the castle by way of minaret.  
  
  
  
Lance leaned over and fired an arrow neatly into the head of a Tophetian on the battering ram. Before any of the enemy archers could sight him, he ducked back down.  
  
"All this warfare, a tricksy process," remarked the sailor, nocking another arrow to his bow. "I'd not give up sailing to be a soldier, nay."  
  
"Nobody will ask you to, Lance," Miyako replied, raising up and firing. She nodded satisfactorily as her arrow took a soldier through the chest. "There's one."  
  
"How do you think Link is doing? The arches up there ain't hitting nobody, aye," Lance commented, squinting at the higher parapet. "I don't see 'im," he added when the guards rose up to clumsily return fire at the Tophetians. "Hey!" He rolled out of the way as a stray arrow bounced off the stone. "I ain't no enemy!" Lance shouted indignantly.  
  
"Sorry!" A voiced called down apprehensively.  
  
"Guards they may be, but that's all they're good for," the red-haired girl stated, taking a breather beside her friend. "I'm almost out of arrows, you?"  
  
"All gone, matey, I'll get some more."  
  
  
  
Link found the dusty catapult in the outside armory, where the large ballistas and heavier weapons were kept. He shoved open the massive doors and strode inside. The catapult was large, but its wheels seemed to be in working order. It would take a strong back to push it, but with the help of his gauntlets, no doubt the work would be quick. He noticed a large store of arrows in the corner and marked it for future reference.  
  
'Now, to get this thing rolling,' he thought, moving around behind it and finding the right place to push. With all his might he managed to roll it forward, slowly but steadily, and when it was completely out of the armory, he took a quick breather and looked inside for ammunition. There was nothing that would be destructive enough to fling at the Tophetians... perhaps he could improvise, though.  
  
"Shiver me timbers, 'tis the Hero of Time himself!" Lance called out in a wheedling tone, appearing from the castle's side entrance, grinning broadly. "So there y'are."  
  
"Is something wrong?" Link asked, resuming his position at the back of the catapult. The sailor shook his head.  
  
"Nope, they're still attackin' and we're still defendin'. I came to grab s'more arrows, 'tis all. And what scheme are you hatching?" Link grunted as he forced the catapult further towards the castle's front grounds.  
  
"Seeing as the guards aren't very good with bows, I thought we might need to use a little more force in keeping them at bay. We can't depend on any of the troops returning in time to pull our asses out of the fire." The sailor raised his eyebrows at Link's curt speech, but went into the armory to retrieve more arrows. "Can you find anything we could launch at them?"  
  
"Furniture would work, though I'd not think that Queen Eloisa would agree to let you use her fine dining set against them," the dark-blue-haired young man replied laughingly. Link glared reproachfully at his irrepressible friend. "Well, 'tis true. We're a bit short on large rocks 'round these parts, but..." Lance stopped and shook his head. "Never mind, it's not possible."  
  
"What? What's not possible?" Link stopped pushing the catapult and looked back at Lance.  
  
"You're an Earth element, this I told you, but you've not been learned in the skills of usin' it, so 'tis pointless for me to say you could call stones from the earth. It'd be a mighty useful skill."  
  
"When the war is over, give me the name of a good teacher, then," the Hero of Time replied, turning his attention back to the task at hand, "and I'll learn. But for now, just see if you can find anything."  
  
"Aye."  
  
  
  
"At the rate they're going, they'll be in here before afternoon," Miles stated anxiously, wiping his sweaty face with his sleeve. "Lookit that! The gates are crackin as I speak!"  
  
"Wherever the boy went, let's hope he's come up with a good idea," Jacob grunted, letting another arrow fly.  
  
"There he is!" Miles exclaimed, pointing to the enclosure below. "But what's he want with that catapult? I thought King Edward said its aim was off."  
  
"Any port in a storm," Jacob returned promptly. "Let's leave off this bow business and get down there to help him."  
  
  
  
"Crates filled with dirt, that's all I can think of," Lance called as he hurried past Link to the gatehouse. "There're some in the armory, but 'twon't be enough, not by a long shot!"  
  
"It's good enough," Link responded quickly, brushing his face with the back of his hand. 'It's getting hotter... hopefully the sun'll come out, that should slow their volley of arrows for a bit.' Just as he thought this, an arrow came hurtling down to land beside his other hand on the catapult base.  
  
"How can we help?" Miles asked breathlessly as the guards came storming down the parapet. "We're not doing any good with these bows, we're not."  
  
"Empty all the crates in the armory, and bring them back here," the Hero of Time answered, looking around the courtyard. "We'll fill them with dirt like Lance said, and send them over." The guards nodded hastily then took off for the armory. A moment later, several pairs of guards returned with the empty crates.  
  
"Is that all?" Three crates would do nothing against the Tophetian mass. He could hear the protesting of the gates as they began to give way; it wouldn't be long now.  
  
"Nay, sir, t'other guards are goin' inside the castle for more," Miles replied, rubbing his face vigorously. "Shall we fill 'em with dirt, then?" Link nodded, then turned his attention to the catapult's mechanism. It was a simple enough device; a person would place the ammunition in the rounded cup, bring it down to latch with the hook at the base, then when discharged, the lever would release the latch and the tension would send the projectile soaring.  
  
The question remained, how much off aim was this catapult? He didn't want to risk aiding the Tophetians by knocking down the walls himself, but he could think of no other idea that would devastate them as much as a catapult would.  
  
'We've got to try,' he thought desperately. 'That's all that matters now.'  
  
  
  
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Yay! More action! And Link doesn't get hurt this time! Yay again! ^_^ Ah well. Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you (from The Girl Who Loved Tome Gordon, by Stephen King) ...Too bad Stephen King's retiring. ~_~ I hope he finishes the Dark Tower series, at least. He is like unto God to me. 


	31. The Dinesenese Exile

Chapter Thirty  
  
  
  
Ceifeiro slipped around the rear of the castle, where the parapets were loosely guarded. King Viru had told him to scale the wall as soon as an opportunity rose. The Dinesenese, who had deftly earned the nickname Ceifeiro, "the reaper", had consented with a quick bow.  
  
Beneath his hood lay two cunning, dark eyes in a pale triangular face. His lank black hair was matted against his forehead with sweat as he inched along the walls, hardly daring to breathe when the guards turned their attention in his direction. It was broad day, and it would not do to be seen skulking around the rear of the castle; that might alert their defenses and ruin King Viru's plan.  
  
'Asun i'naz foris e'de tun kei, qian ersa d'oa ceifeiro,' he thought in Dinesenese. Tophet's shining pinnacle he may have been, but he was no more Tophetian than Link was. [Author's Note: Ceifeiro is thinking, 'They may have the hero, but they do not have the reaper.'] He would show them how the Dinesenese fought.  
  
The Dinesenese-born fighter crouched against the wall, and he would remain in that position for the rest of the day, until the guards switched swifts and gave him enough time to scale the wall unseen. The Tophetians would pull off their attack at midday, and take leisure until nightfall. Surely, that would throw the castle's occupants off guard.  
  
  
  
As the soldiers loaded the heavy crate onto the catapult, Link stole a glance at the main gates. If it had not been for the archers atop the lower bulwarks, the Tophetians would have surely broken through by now.  
  
'And they will, you can't think that they won't,' he told himself silently, turning his attention back to the task at hand.  
  
"It's ready for firing," Miles reported, throwing a jaunty salute. Mystu, who had joined them, looked somewhat skeptical.  
  
"Did the king say how much off center it was?" Link asked, sighting distance along the path of the projectile.  
  
"He said it veered to the right somewhat, but not how much," the artist replied unhappily. "I still think it's a bad idea, even if your heart's in the right place. Surely, there must be another way."  
  
"If you can think of another idea, then let's hear it," Jacob barked, bristling at the young Selintan. "Until you do, hush up!"  
  
"Right, let's move it this way, then," Link called out. With the help of the Selintan soldiers, it was the work of a few moments. He reached for the lever, hesitated, then pulled it quickly.  
  
Fluidly the arm of the catapult vaulted upwards, sending the heavy crate soaring over the castle walls to crash threateningly on the other side. Screams and curses assured Link that his aim had been perfect. The soldiers cheered, and the Hero of Time smiled tiredly.  
  
"That was some fine aim," Lance called down from his perch at the wall. "You got quite a few of 'em!"  
  
"Lance, will you look out?!" Miyako shouted. Before the sailor could move, an arrow took him through his upper shoulder.  
  
"Aiy, shroun tolos ae miano K'fef!" cursed the sailor in Kreyan, ducking down ad pulling the shaft out of his flesh. "Aiy, aiy!" [Author's Note: Heh, this is actually kind of a stupid curse, but Lance is saying "Damn, by the shit of my father! Damn, damn!" Yes, it's still all made up.]  
  
"You fool," Miyako muttered, inspecting the wound with a critical eye. "I can't say if there's poison or not. You'd better go see a medico about that."  
  
"Put off the fight by a stupid arrow," Lance growled angrily, pressing a hand tightly to staunch the flow of blood. "Aiy."  
  
"Hush, and get going," the red-haired Kreyan girl urged, peeking above the bulwark. "They've let off fighting for the moment; even the arrows have stopped."  
  
"Well, bully for us," he grunted between clenched teeth as he strode low towards the gatehouse staircase. "Too bad they couldn't've stopped sooner!"  
  
  
  
Link had no time to ask to Lance about his wound; he wanted to take full advantage of the Tophetians' temporary withdrawal. After helping load the catapult with another crate, he sprinted over to the main gates to survey the damage.  
  
"I give it another hour, Link," Jacob stated, joining the nineteen-year- old. "Then we'll be face to face wi' the bastards." The young Hylian man nodded, already knowing that.  
  
"Tell all the guards inside to come down here in the front grounds. When they break through, we'll have to stop them reaching the castle at all costs. The queen and servants are still inside; I'd have gotten them away if I thought they'd be unnoticed leaving Ontharn, but..." Link shrugged and made his way to the gatehouse staircase. He called to the guards at the farther end of the wall and motioned for them to head down to the front grounds. He found Miyako sitting underneath the bulwark near the staircase, an arrow ready at her bow. "You're keeping busy, I see."  
  
"As are you," she replied, looking up at him with tired eyes.  
  
"What happened to Lance?" Link inquired, crouching down by her and peering through the slit in the stone.  
  
"He was shot with an arrow, the fool, when he was complimenting you on your aim. It was a good shot," she admitted, "providing that you had no idea where they were."  
  
"It caught them off guard, that's all," he responded, seeing the burst crate and the bodies lying around and underneath it. "Only eight? That's not nearly enough to make a difference."  
  
"Every little bit counts," the eighteen-year-old Kreyan pointed out. "They're going to break through the gate soon, aren't they?"  
  
"If they keep at it for about an hour, they'll be inside the castle grounds," he disclosed cautiously. Miyako closed her eyes and blew breath from her mouth.  
  
"Wonderful. I was looking for signs of dust rising to the west and north a little, but I didn't see any. So much for General Torris and his troops."  
  
"I told you not to rely on them," Link chided, turning his face to her.  
  
"I know, but I couldn't help it. Wishful thinking, that's all." She crawled into the open room at the top of the staircase and stood up, rubbing her back. "I'm sure even you are relying on a miracle to save us." The Hero of Time stood up with her as well.  
  
"I am, but it's the kind of miracle that has to be brought about by hard work and thought." That made her smile.  
  
"Then wouldn't it be a reward, instead?" He shrugged.  
  
"I've learned long ago not to depend on anyone else to save the day. If you can't make your own miracles, then you're out of luck."  
  
"If the Tophetians make it inside—"  
  
"When the Tophetians make it inside," Link corrected, descending the staircase. Miyako waved her hand dismissively, following him.  
  
"All right, /when/ the Tophetians make it inside the castle grounds, how good a chance do you think we'll stand?"  
  
"...How did you take it, shooting the Tophetians with arrows?" She was not prepared for a change of subject.  
  
"What do you mean?" Link gave her a meaningful look. Miyako lowered her head. "Oh... It's... it's not as personal as up close killing... and they weren't laughing at you being stabbed." He had to smile at that. "But I don't think I'll ever be used to fighting with a sword."  
  
"What about daggers?" They neared the guards, who were milling about the catapult.  
  
"What about daggers?" She echoed carefully. Link stopped and faced her, glaring at her with exasperation. "Well..."  
  
"If you're going to travel with me after we're done with the Temple of Life, you'll have to understand that I attract death like shit attracts flies."  
  
"How... poetic." He gave her another look, and she sighed. "I know you're right, and it's not the fighting I mind, it's just the killing. I mean, they look like us. Don't you see that? They're not Tektites or Stalchildren, though the gods know it would be easier if they were, and they look like us."  
  
"I know what you mean," he agreed in a low voice.  
  
"We should take a quick breather," Jacob said to Link as they stopped in front of the large warfare device. "About twenty or so guards will stand here while the rest of us go inside and get something to eat, if that's fine with you."  
  
"That's just fine," Link answered. As the majority of the guards shuffled towards the castle, the nineteen-year-old turned to Miyako. "I'm going to go check up on Lance. Do you—"  
  
"Want to come with you? Of course."  
  
  
  
Several other guards who had been injured were also lounging in the Great Hall, nursing their wounds and limbs while they waited to be attended to by the doctors and medicos.  
  
"I never understood the difference between a doctor and a medico," Link remarked, spotting Lance and walking over to him.  
  
"Doctors don't rely on magic; medicos do," the sailor replied, looking up and grinning at the both of them. "Come to weep o'er me? Bah! 'Tis only a flesh wound."  
  
"Wouldn't have thought that by the way you were carrying on," Miyako commented, putting a hand to her mouth to hide an obvious smile. He fixed her with a withering glance, but her smile only grew broader.  
  
"Though I'd not be treated by a medico," continued the dark-blue-haired young man indignantly, ignoring his red-haired friend. "Sure, and magic is fine for poisons not seen, but the more you rely on 'em, the harder 'tis for your flesh and bones to heal on their own, so it is. What be the condition of the gates, then, Our Hero?"  
  
"Another hour, and we'll be up to our waists in Tophetians," the blonde replied amiably, not put off by Lance's affectations. "If only we'd had more archers, we might have been able to make a difference."  
  
"Forget the archers, we'll need a good strong line of defense in front of the portcullis," Lance snorted, waving a hand dismissively. "If we can seal off the other doors, then the horde's still got to break through that."  
  
"But how much time will it buy us? Not enough." Link shook his head and sat down wearily. "And it'll only lower the number of guards we have to fight back when they /do/ break through, and there's no point in protesting that, because you know and I know that we can't keep them off forever."  
  
"So gloomy, you are," Miyako chided, shaking her head at the Hero of Time. "I'll set my watch and warrant on it that you've not become the person you are today by saying, 'Ho hum, looks like a dead end, guess I'll turn back.' " He smiled reluctantly at that, but his eyes remained grave.  
  
"I'm not trying to cry doom, but we have to look at the situation realistically."  
  
"If only we could get word to the soldiers at Tyulia," Lance considered aloud, "they could be here in a day's time, I'd reckon."  
  
"That would take two days' time, from here to Tyulia and back," the blonde young Hylian remarked bitterly, "and two days is time we haven't got."  
  
Night had fallen, but Ceifeiro had taken the opportunity to ponder his life as he waited another hour, to be certain.  
  
In all the mischief he caused, never had he planned to murder a noble Dinesenese baron, but when the opportunity had risen, Ceifeiro had taken it innocently, and now could never return to either North or South Dinesen, because the price on his head was immense.  
  
Dinesenese by blood and birth, Ceifeiro was born at Lothen, a large city and barony of the Lord Ader. At his birth, he had been christened Skean-Dhu e'Deliarge, and was the second son of the city's finest blacksmith. By the age of ten he was already a skilled swordsman, and every day after studies he would help his father...  
  
Nostalgia like a flood swept over the hardened fighter, and he crushed it immediately. Now was not the time to reminisce of times long past and dead; he would have a long climb ahead of him. Still, it was hard not to be dragged under by the heavy tide of his memories.  
  
At age seventeen his whole future in North Dinesen was obliterated when a merchant took him to one side and asked him for a quick favor. He had paid in silver drachmas and seemed kindly enough. What was the favor? Why, he was to merely let a certain company know that its bill was not paid, and if he had to kill a person or two in the process, the merchant would not look down upon it, Good Gods, no!  
  
In retrospect, the work was foolish and the pay had been slim, but he would have cut his own heart out to save his father's business, which at that point in his life, was beginning to fail. The money was needed and he was desperate; there was no other reason.  
  
As fate would have it, the person he slew in attempt to bully the other company into paying their bill was the Lord Baron Ader himself. A shout had been taken up, with the blood of his victim still fresh on his threadbare clothes, cries of murder ringing in his ears.  
  
His appearance and conviction was on every city and town's news bulletin within weeks, and Skean-Dhu fled to Celate, which was no part of the United Force of Dinesen and Callembah.  
  
It was in Celate, in a miserable shit-splat called Despair, that he learned a new trade, one that was far crueler and treacherous than mere blacksmithing. He learned to become a mercenary, to kill for money. He gave no name to his clients, having no imagination to think up a false character, only the promise of a job well done. Threats of Ganondorf's evil reign concerned nobody in Celate.  
  
There were others in the business he came to respect, most of all Nadzja, a ruthless beauty of a Celatian who had been born to kill. It was she who gave him the nickname The Reaper, for the first time they had met was after he returned from slaying an entire household as vengeance for a disgruntled servant. Ceifeiro was "the reaper" in Dinesenese, and this was the name he began to earn for himself by the time he was twenty-two.  
  
Intol had been not much older than Skean-Dhu, now known only as Ceifeiro. He was looking for a mercenary, and had journeyed to Celate, which was beginning to become known as the Black Kingdom.  
  
"I have a proposal for you, Ceifeiro," Intol had said casually one night at the tavern. The Dinesenese pretended not to be interested, but the crest of Tophet on the squire's leather armor intrigued him. "Our king is looking for a good fighter, a good emblem for his people. You, The Reaper, are what he is looking for."  
  
"I do not accept permanent tasks, nor will I be the sigil of a country I owe no fealty to," Ceifeiro rumbled.  
  
"I did not think you would accept easily, but... I have asked about this town, and you are the best mercenary, the best fighter, among these, surpassing even the Rogue Nadzja."  
  
"That I am," he agreed passively, ignoring his food and drink.  
  
"I hear that you tire of a mercenary's life, and you wish to fight only the best of other swordsmen," continued the Tophetian calmly, "and my king shall pay you well... and he promises a fight with the Hero of Time."  
  
"The Hero of Time?" Link's fame had spread like wildfire throughout the countries of the world; Ceifeiro sat up straighter. Young, but he had liberated an entire country single-handedly. Not an offer to be turned down.  
  
"Yes," Intol smiled. "The Hero of Time."  
  
  
  
Ceifeiro dug his boots tightly into the sparse cracks along the high wall, sweat pouring down his face and soaking his clothes. The climb was laborious and slow, the rope tough on his hands, but he would be in the castle before midnight, and the castle would be King Viru's long before dawn.  
  
  
  
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I babble too much at the end of my chapters, but a quick note; Ceifeiro is a very important character. Remember that. ^_~ Please review, much appreciated.  
  
  
  
For anyone interested, Tophet means "hell" or "place of the dead" in Judaism. Charming, eh? 


	32. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Chapter Thirty-One  
  
"I don't like how they've not attacked," Link remarked, sitting on the edge of the catapult as he finished the last of his dinner. Night was beginning to fall, and the Tophetians had not many any more assaults on the main gates.  
  
"Aye, `tis unsettling," agreed Lance, squatting on the ground and picking idly at strands of grass. "Prolly the most unsettling thing they've done all day, I'd reckon." The Hero of Time clenched and unclenched his fists; somehow, to be sitting about thinking of why the enemy wasn't attacking seemed so... inactive. He began to wish that they /would/ break through the gates, so that he would have something to do, someone to fight...  
  
"I wonder," Miyako remarked casually, looking up at the darkening sky, "if they've not got another plan to get past those gates."  
  
"What sort of plan might that be, missie?" Lance nibbled on one of the grass stalks, then spat it out. Link suppressed a smile with one hand.  
  
"Oh, I can't think of anything clever, but it just seems like they wouldn't waste time by sitting around all day. It's not very clever of them to start battering at night; what advantage would darkness give them?" Link frowned; something itched at the back of his mind. For a moment, he had it, then it slipped from his grasp, like trying to hold water with a splayed hand.  
  
"Aye, that's certainly something to think about," the sailor agreed dubiously, "but I'd doubt that Viru would see any advantages o' the night."  
  
"Well, we're not trapped in here because of his stupidity, are we? We've got to give him credit for some things. After all, that trick he pulled at the Massharte Ruins /was/ clever..."  
  
Without a word, Link got up and walked over to the gatehouse staircase. Climbing the spire, he edged around the protective wall and peeked over the bulwark.  
  
The Tophetians were milling about on the far side of the hill; they had set up tents and several had some fires going. The Hero of Time espied King Viru sitting with several others and appearing to converse, although about what Link could only guess at.  
  
`He's certainly not giving the soldiers a break out of the kindness of his heart,' the blonde teenager thought wryly, turning and striding back down the staircase. `But I'll bet he's planning something I'm not going to like.'  
  
"Anythin' to see?" Lance called, looking up as Link returned to the catapult. The Hero of Time shook his head, but was unable to shake that itching sensation that bothered him.  
  
Ceifeiro crouched by the dead guard's body, his eyes shifting back and forth from the East Hall corridor to the staircase by the parapet. No other guards had heard, but how would he dispose of the body? He couldn't simply toss it over the side, as tempting as that was...  
  
Looking down at the guard, whose throat was torn open in a ragged, bloody grin, he began to smile. It might just be crazy enough to work.  
  
Miles shifted uneasily, glancing up at the higher parapet every now and then. The walls were high and closer to the castle at its rear, but... he couldn't help but feel the need to go and check on the guard above the staircase. He was a new fellow, a bit quiet, but the young soldier felt an obligation to follow his intuition, and he did not want to bungle up a job while Link was about. (Imagine, the Hero of Time, talking to him! It was just too good to be true!)  
  
"Hey, up there, everything well?" He called nervously.  
  
" `Tis fine," Ceifeiro called back in a passable Selintan accent as he dumped the guard's body, now sporting his hood and clothing, over the edge. "Just saw a Tophetian lurkin' back here, and I killed the bastard, sure enough." Miles blew a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead. Sure, it was a tough job, keeping a castle safe.  
  
"All right then, call if you see any more," replied the young Selintan nervously. Tophetians, lurking at the rear of the castle? `I might do well to tell Link about this...'  
  
Even after being assured that the guards would keep a watchful eye on the gate, Link couldn't sleep. He paced around his room, cursing aloud at himself for not being able to figure out why what Miyako had mentioned was bothering him so much. A cover of darkness, what advantages would it give the Tophetians? He couldn't think of any...  
  
There came a knock at his door, and Link winced slightly, then cursed himself again.  
  
"Are y'in there, matey?" It was Lance, concerned as ever.  
  
`If he was right about feeling my emotions, then he and Miyako must be feeling really edgy right now,' he thought, opening the door with a jerk.  
  
"Yes?" A part of Link secretly prayed that the sailor had come to tell him that the Tophetians were attacking again, if only to ease his mind.  
  
"Ah, I was just wonderin' where ya went. Oh yeah, and there's a guard out here, by the name o' Miles or summat, wants to talk to you." Lance scratched his forehead as though confused. "Sure, I didn't think you'd be here though."  
  
"Where else would I be?" Link asked, following the sailor. Then he thought for a second about how Lance's mind worked, then quickly added, "Don't answer that."  
  
"Nay, nay," chortled the sailor, and the Hero of Time could /hear/ the broad grin in his friend's voice. "I'd not dare to."  
  
"Mmm-hmm," Link replied skeptically. "Sure you wouldn't, and I'm the Queen of Rinthen, so I am."  
  
"So y'are, and a right fine pretty queen ye'd make, though I'd say yer a bit flat in the bosom, matey," agreed the sailor laughingly. Miles, the castle guard, was waiting anxiously in the Great Hall.  
  
"Oh, Link, I--" The guard paused and ran his hands through his hair nervously. "I thought you'd like to know, that... one of the guards on the rear parapet... He... er, saw a Tophetian wandering around back there, and kilt him with an arrow, so he did. I thought... I thought you might like to know... that." But Link was already running towards rear of the castle.  
  
The Hero of Time leaned cautiously over the edge of the wall, peering down and noting the limp body resting at the base of it. But... even in the dark night, he did not see an arrow embedded anywhere in the cadaver. Still, in the darkness, he could not be sure.  
  
Ceifeiro watched Link with slitted eyes, biding his time. But his quarry was so near...!  
  
`Lyutli (Patience),' he told himself in comforting Dinesenese, `res sa n'jin nah (you will have your time).' So "the reaper" watched the nineteen-year-old carefully, observing how deliberate the Hylian was being.  
  
"Excuse me," Link uttered, turning towards him. The Dinesenese fighter stiffened slightly and lowered his head a little; perhaps Link would not recognize him. "Are you the one who slew that Tophetian?"  
  
"Aye," Ceifeiro replied gruffly, jerking his head towards the wall. "He was scaling the wall, so I slit his throat when he made it to the top, and shot an arrow into him, to be sure he was dead, and so he is."  
  
"Hmmm...." Miles had said that the guard had said that he'd only shot him, yet the guard's story was different... Perhaps it was only to protect Miles. The young Selintan guard was good enough at his job, but really too nervous and faltering to make him feel comfortable.  
  
`Ah well, this is probably the most eventful happening in his career as a soldier, and will probably always be so,' the Hero of Time told himself, looking thoughtfully at the eastern horizon. Before the rest of him could react, his mind jumped to a conclusion that was too crazy to be true, but too risky to overlook.  
  
"If ye'd let me, I'd take my supper now," Ceifeiro stated, faking the accent perfectly this time. No goat like an old one. Link nodded distantly, but remained unmoving. "...Link?"  
  
"I was just wondering... why the body down there doesn't seem to have an arrow in it." Ceifeiro hesitated, his quick mind searching desperately for a plausible reason.  
  
"Aye?" He asked weakly. It was the only answer that Link might have accepted, and to the Dinesenese fighter's relief, he did.  
  
`He is taking too long, what is going on?' King Viru thought, working his hands together behind his back as he surveyed the castle's front bulwarks vigilantly. `Ceifeiro had better not be distracted by his obsession with fighting Hyrule's hero; I'll not have my plans spoiled by the whims of a former mercenary.'  
  
"King Viru, sir, should we begin battering the gates? Seirios thinks the guards might be wary that we've not attacked for a while," Intol stated gingerly. The Tophetian king waved his squire away.  
  
"Let them be wary; it will keep them guessing at what I've planned, and they won't be able to figure it out before it takes its course."  
  
Ceifeiro's eyes flicked over the mass of guards in the Great Hall; some were injured while others were taking supper, and more were resting peaceably. Obviously none of them were accustomed to long siege or battle.  
  
`I may be able to get past the guards in the courtyard unnoticed,' he considered, `and open the gates so that Viru may bring the troops in, but... What if I cannot? The gates may be too damaged to open easily; I will need a safeguard...' Ceifeiro sat down on a makeshift bench and thought for a moment. `A hostage, perhaps, but... not any soldier, for they would not think to spare the life of a soldier for the greater cause...'  
  
There were only two people he could think of that would be acceptable; Link or the Queen, Eloisa. Link... he would be a bit harder to overpower than the queen, but he was much closer. A soldier skulking about the chambers of a queen might bring up too many questions.  
  
Yet....  
  
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Cliffhangers are wonderful tools of torture, but only if people are actually reading this. I'm not going to be like a lot of authors whom I could name and say "U ppl need 2 revue! I wun upload no more chapters `til i get 20 million revues!" [Spelling errors and such intentional, mind you, to mock those who write something like that.] Yes, it is disheartening to find that only a few people *truly* enjoy my work, but it's also encouraging, because an audience of some is better than an audience of none, right? Plus... I will write no matter what, come flames or praise, I will keep writing. Because I love to write. You shouldn't write for reviews (though they are nice), you should write because you love it, because your passion in your words, your characters, and your conflicts. Writing is an art, and I will always love to write.  
  
So! Even if people hate my work, I will write because I enjoy it and it's much better than going out and messing up my life with drugs. Or something.  
  
Now, I forgot what I was really going to say... Oh yes! Well, hopefully more people will review (if more people actually read this) and let me know what they think, so I can improve. Because that's what reviews are there for.  
  
Plus... I'm curious if anyone wants the prologue for Part Two to be posted, because I've got +70 pages on Part Two done. (I haven't been slacking, no sir/ma'am!) So, please let me know, and I appreciate you, Faithful Reader, for enduring this fanfiction. I promise Part Two has a lot more action.  
  
I've said enough, bye now! 


	33. The Fall (Part One)

Chapter Thirty-Two  
  
Prince Kellen sighed as he flopped down on the sandy shore. The exiled half-breed was at the castle; the Aquarian could feel it in his bones. Even more so, he could feel the call of the other's essence, his aqua, and Kellen was sure that the half-breed could feel his, even more strongly.  
  
`He is the only hope I have to warn Link, I must put aside prejudices,' the prince scolded himself, using his overworked arms to pull himself out of the tide's reach. The prince began crawling towards the grassy plain, unable to stop the groans of pain that hissed from his throat.  
  
Lance bounced the Night Orb from hand to hand, as though attempting to juggle it. The sailor seemed oblivious of his shoulder wound, which was deep but not serious. It didn't seem to faze him at all. Link sighed and leaned heavily against the makeshift bench, which provided a back for his seat on the floor, watching his friend. Something about that guard was still bothering him, but for the life of him, he could not think of what.  
  
"Something on your mind?" asked the sailor, not taking his eyes from Shadeius's black ball. Link couldn't resist sarcasm as he replied,  
  
"What could possibly be on my mind, knowing that Ontharn lays in ashes, King Viru with Tophetian troops is just outside the castle walls, and that we've no chance of getting reinforcements for at least a week?" Lance dropped the orb and it rolled away slowly, unharmed.  
  
"No harm in asking," he replied dolefully. Link sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just--" He made a helpless motion with his hands. "I can't think right now, and sure as hellfire can't sleep." Lance was about to reply, but he stopped and cocked his head, as though listening to something Link could not hear. "...What is it?"  
  
"Link," the sailor said in a queerly flat tone, "I have to go to the shore east of here. Now." The Hero of Time stood up almost too fast to maintain balance.  
  
"Why?" Lance hesitated, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"I... hear something calling for me."  
  
"What?" The nineteen-year-old restrained himself from madly shaking his friend. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"It's... it's from the sea," responded the dark-blue-haired Kreyan unhappily. "I have to go. I..."  
  
"The Aquarians?" Link asked.  
  
"Yes! I just have to go. Now. I need to get past the Tophetians."  
  
"The Tophetians aren't at the eastern wall; you can slip down and go. But why? Do you want me to come with you?"  
  
"Nay, nay," the sailor said briskly, adopting a southern sea accent once more, " `tis a job for one man alone. `Sides, yer needed here, matey, and `tis here you'll stay."  
  
"If it's the Aquarians, won't they kill you on sight?" Link did not want his friend to go to possible death.  
  
"Perhaps, but this... `tis different, so it is." Lance stood up and tipped off a jaunty salute as he began jogging towards the east wing's exit. "I'll be back afore dawn, I swear it."  
  
"Lance--!" Link called, exasperated, but his friend was already gone from the Great Hall. "Dammit." The Hero of Time looked down at the floor, trying to gather his galloping emotions, and noticed the Night Orb. `Might as ask the queen if she'll let us use this. It may be all we have to depend on.' He bent down and picked it up with one hand, then strode off to the queen's chambers.  
  
Ceifeiro's fingers hovered tentatively over the door's silver handle; was Queen Eloisa even in her chambers? What if she was not, and he was caught searching around? The idea did not appeal greatly to him, but there was only one way to find out.  
  
He grasped the handle, turned it carefully, and opened the door slowly, peering inside the widening rift. The queen was at her vanity mirror, her long brown hair traveling down her back. She turned her head at the noise of the door, and looked at him somewhat quizzically.  
  
"Oh? What news do you bring, guard?" inquired the queen, shifting her whole body to face him. Ceifeiro bowed deeply as he entered and replied,  
  
"I have come to report to you, Highness, that you will be accompanying me on a short trip, out of this castle."  
  
"...Whatever for?" Her face had darkened with suspicion.  
  
"The Hero of Time's orders, Your Majesty. He does not believe this castle is the safest location for you." The best part of his act was that none of it was truly a lie, which made it all the better. Queen Eloisa nodded her head thoughtfully.  
  
"Very well, how shall I--" Before she could finish, Ceifeiro took three long paces towards her and snatched her thin wrist. "Oh!"  
  
"I, for one, think you will be much safer in the company of King Viru. Or perhaps not, but we shall see." His thick Dinesenese accent permeated through his speech, and the Queen of Selinta stared at him aghast. Before she could scream for help, "the reaper" jerked her to the floor with the other. Retrieving a dagger from his belt, he dealt her a swift blow to the face with the hilt and growled, "No trouble now, or I shall bring you to King Viru one piece at a time."  
  
Lance ran swiftly under the cover of darkness, his only thought focusing on the sound of his heart in his ears. Behind him Castle Dythia began to shrink away, until it was only the size of a child's toy playhouse. He never believed a body could run so fast, but the terrible urgency scraped away all other feeling for anything else; he could only think of getting to the person (or persons) calling him.  
  
About half an hour after he had left the castle, he could see the shore, yet it was still a fair distance away.  
  
`I should be there afore another hour passes,' the sailor thought to himself, ignoring his tiring muscles.  
  
Link drew his sword, but dared not move any closer. The Night Orb fell from his right hand as he steadied himself, praying the soldier would not slay the queen. Eloisa was sobbing fitfully, but hardly making a sound. Ceifeiro pinned the dagger at her throat, drawing a faint line of blood.  
  
"Don't come closer, if you value her life," hissed the Dinesenese fighter, edging away from Link. "Put down your sword, or I kill her!" The Hero of Time hesitated, then saw the horrified expression on the queen's face, and dropped it. The Master Sword clattered morosely on the marble floor. "There's a good fellow..."  
  
"You..." Link squinted at Ceifeiro's face. "You're Ceifeiro!"  
  
"That I am," snapped the ex-mercenary, "now, Link, you shall take me to the main gate. Do not try any tricks if you wish to keep the queen alive."  
  
`I should have known,' Link berated himself, backing up slowly so that he could keep an eye on the fighter and hostage. `Gods alive, if she dies...'  
  
"Link, did you--" Miyako stopped when she saw Ceifeiro and the queen. "What--"  
  
"Hush!" snapped "the reaper," adjusting his grip around Eloisa's midsection. "Safe passage to the main gates, or I will kill her."  
  
"Miyako, get away from here," Link uttered, not taking his eyes off the pair. He would not send her to the gates; no, the guards could open them, and he did not want her in the line of fire. There was sure to be fighting.  
  
"Link..."  
  
"Go. I'm not letting the queen be killed."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Just go," he repeated. The red-haired Kreyan walked quickly away, throwing a glance at them over her shoulder a few times.  
  
"I would not have had us meet in this fashion, but there seemed to be no other choice," Ceifeiro stated, surprising Link. They were advancing slowly towards the castle's portcullis. The guards were noticing them, and began running towards them. "Stay back!" He shouted in a roar that commanded obedience. The guards halted, then looked to Link for confirmation.  
  
"Do what he says, and get those gates open!"  
  
"But Link, the Tophetians--" Miles began. Eloisa screamed as Ceifeiro pressed the dagger harder against her delicate throat. Blood was trickling down faster now, and Eloisa's face had gone deathly pale.  
  
"Just do it, gods damn you!" Link shouted, feeling frustration brush bitter fingers against his heart. The guards hesitated again, then moved to do what he asked.  
  
Lance fell to his knees by the prone figure and tried to catch his breath. His heart trip-hammered wildly in his chest, a caged animal gone mad. He put a hand to his sternum and panted sharply. He couldn't think; he could only feel the metallic taste of something awful in his mouth, the fire raging on the insides of his legs, the unsatisfied need for air.  
  
"Gods," he wheezed when he caught enough breath several minutes later. The sailor found nothing better to say, so he said it again. "Gods!" The figure's hand fluttered weakly.  
  
"...You.... you're the...." Prince Kellen forced himself up on one arm to look at the person kneeling next to him. "It's... you're..."  
  
"Lanceton Untille, at your service, matey." He gulped in air and coughed several times, and breathed deeply. "You rang?"  
  
"Even at a time... this.... you...." Kellen closed his eyes for several moments. The poison crawled with slow, evil legs through his veins. Would the pain never end? "Make jokes...." The prince shook his head weakly. "Forget that. I'm Prince Kellen of the Aquarians." He managed to sit upright, though queasiness swam through his head. "And you're... you're the half-breed, the exile?"  
  
"You might say that." In the darkness, Kellen could have sworn that Lance was trying to stifle a smile.  
  
"I met... your friend, Link."  
  
"Aye..."  
  
"He's... he's in terrible danger, he mustn't travel by sea, my..." The Prince of the Aquarians floundered for words, his head pounding with pain. "By the fish of the sea, I can't... I can't see straight anymore..." Kellen gripped his face with both hands. "Listen to me, I've not much time. He will know what I am talking about. My brother, Venoli, has poisoned me, and I... I'm dying. My people, the people of the seas, they will not prosper under his rule. He wants what I gave to Link to protect, and I fear... I fear a great danger. He... My brother... he has changed. For the worse." The prince clutched at his chest then, his face contorting horribly under the moon's glow, and Lance reached out to steady him. "Would I could... change everything... make it so... the people would not hunt you... You came..."  
  
"You are my prince, even if I'm only half-Aquarian," Lance reminded him softly. Kellen's head jerked twice sharply in a negative movement.  
  
"No, I would... change everything.... the laws to hunt... you.... people like you. I understood... when the goddesses came to me, they told me, `He will set your people free, this Hero, and save all that you have lost.' Venoli... he's going to find and kill Link. He mustn't let my brother have what I have him, at all costs. Tell him this." Kellen put a hand to his mouth and slobbered up blood. He wiped it distastefully on the ground and spat.  
  
"The castle, it's not far off," Lance said hesitatingly. He would no doubt be the last person the prince ever saw. Kellen shook his head painfully, and winced.  
  
"No, I won't make it. I spent the last coin of my life... swimming here. I..." The prince stopped and spat up more blood. "I should have taken the precaution to have myself guarded, but the people... it would not be good for the people..." Kellen looked up at Lance, his eyes shining hotly with fever and death. "You must tell Link, that if he does leave by water, he must not travel with you. You will attract my brother's attention." Lance stiffened slightly at that; he couldn't travel with his friend, Link? "You must understand..." More coughing, more blood. "...the Temple of Life, we felt it, we /feel/ it, decaying. It's... almost gone. The Daughter of a God has fallen..."  
  
"Daughter of a God?" Lance repeated.  
  
"Yes....." Kellen put a hand to his throat and swallowed painfully. "Didn't you know.... the Selintans called their monarchs gods...."  
  
"You mean Cheyanna, then, but she's dead," the sailor said, slightly confused.  
  
"Whatever it is, the evils begun in all our hearts. My brother... he was too weak to resist." The prince coughed again, and things thicker than blood came up. "This is my final word. I will go to my death, but it will not be in peace. Please, tell him all that I said." The Aquarian royalty reached sluggishly into his sodden breast pocket and pulled out a silver medallion, and handed it to the sailor. "Also... tell Link to save my people from my brother... My people will know you speaks truth with this..." Lance accepted the medallion silently. "Lance... For all the prejudice we held against you and other half-breeds.... I'm sorry. Your mother... she.... she... was.... my aunt... I never wanted... to hate you..." Lance blinked; he had not known his mother was related to royalty; she had never told his father.  
  
"I--" Kellen waved for him to be silent.  
  
"That makes you and I cousins," the prince whispered, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed again. "And that means... if you stop Venoli... you will be Prince of the Aquarians..."  
  
"Me?" Not in all his wildest dreams had he ever imagined being Prince of the very civilization that made him an exile of the sea.  
  
"Yes, Lance, don't rebuff this.... Venoli is evil, and he.... he'll try to stop you..." Kellen closed his eyes as his body convulsed. "I don't have a lot of time left... You and Link both, save my people... Venoli wants to destroy anything that sails on the water... and make... make trade impossible... Can I trust... you to... stop him?"  
  
"Of course," promised the dark-blue-haired Kreyan. "I'll stop your brother." Prince Kellen nodded. His chest hitched, he gasped, then collapsed forward.  
  
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Now that's what I like to read about; more Lance! *hugs Lance plushie* He's my favorite character, besides Link of course. ^_^ I think it's because I've always wanted a friend like him; so cheerful and altruistic.... Ah well... Please review, much appreciated, Faithful Reader. 


	34. The Fall (Part Two)

Chapter Thirty-Three  
  
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Link stood off to one side of the portcullis, watching Ceifeiro advance through the bristling ranks towards the main gate.  
  
"Throw down your weapons," the ex-mercenary called out threateningly. Reluctantly, spears and swords thumped to the ground as the guards released them. Eloisa seemed on the verge of fainting, but at least Ceifeiro had lightened the pressure of the dagger against her neck. Miles fidgeted nervously beside the Hero of Time as more guards joined the others to open the main gate, which was heavily damaged.  
  
"Is this the end?" whispered the Selintan soldier. "Have we surely loss, then?" The blonde Hylian said nothing; he did not want to lie, yet he did not want to tell the young man how he truly felt. Perhaps they had not lost entirely, but.... victory would be nearly impossible.  
  
"Ah, so good to meet you, Queen Eloisa," sighed King Viru, smiling maliciously as he marched through the now open gates with his horde as hit back. The queen glared at him but said nothing. "Well now, it seems that you all have lost the battle /and/ the war. When that fool Edward returns, he will surrender willingly, for he shall see that we have his precious queen and castle. And you," the King of Tophet added, glancing warily at Link, "I will let Ceifeiro have the honor of slaying you." Viru turned to face his troops. "Soldiers! Gather those weapons and march them to the dungeons." He beckoned to Ceifeiro. "I'll take care of Queen Eloisa. You handle Link; seclude him from the others and make sure he doesn't have any weapons on him." The Dinesenese fighter's eye flared as he unceremoniously shoved the queen towards Viru.  
  
"You promised me a fight with him. I will have it now."  
  
"No, Ceifeiro. Patience. We will make sure all of my soldiers can witness his defeat. Now go."  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
After searching Link for weapons, Ceifeiro calmly led the silent nineteen-year-old down the stairs of the inner castle grounds to the oubliette. His captor seemed to know what he was about; no doubt Cheyanna gladly supplied the blueprints of Castle Dythia to King Viru.  
  
"You will wait here," the Dinesenese fighter ordered, indicating the tiny cell littered with bones. "When we have cleared the castle, I will fight you." Link said nothing; there was nothing to say.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Miyako heard the Tophetian fighters marching about just outside her chambers, but there was nothing she could do. What good would it do to be caught? No doubt she would be thrown into the dungeons with the Selintan guards.  
  
`I have to find the Master Sword,' she thought suddenly, making no noise from beneath her bed. `I don't know where Lance is, or where they've taken Link, but maybe--' The young Kreyan held her breath when the door opened, and Tophetians walked in.  
  
"Nobody in here, Squire Intol," reported a soldier.  
  
"Good. Make sure to kill all the serving staff you find; King Viru has no need for them." The door shut, and she could breathe again.  
  
Now there was another problem; they wouldn't throw her into the dungeons, they would simply kill her. Yet... something told her that if she found the Master Sword, she could find Link. Or at the very least, help the other soldiers. Quietly she crawled out from under her bed and coughed a little from the dust. Standing up, she crept to the door and opened it slowly, peeking out.  
  
`Now, I saw him drop it near the Great Hall, and just my luck, I bet that's where most of them'll be,' she thought sourly. Looking left and right, she was satisfied that she saw no one in the hallways, and darted out.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
King Viru looked about the Throne Room, and nodded his satisfaction. He pointed to a corner, and his Tophetian soldiers immediately dragged Eloisa to the location and threw her on the floor.  
  
"Careful now, we wouldn't want my new throne room to be soiled by blood," clucked the monarch disapprovingly, though he was smiling happily. The queen put a hand to her neck and winced as she tried to staunch the thin trickle of blood.  
  
Viru seated himself on Edward's throne and sighed with contentment. Surely, a royal seat fit for a king. Selinta was his now; it was official.  
  
From the right side-entrance, Ceifeiro came storming in moodily, obviously disgruntled that he would have to wait for his "reward."  
  
"Ah, don't look so unhappy, my dear right hand," the king called out. "You will have what I promised you, be patient." The Dinesenese fighter only glared at the Tophetian king, then seated himself in one of the council's chairs. "When I am sure this castle is fully mine, we will bring Link up here for a proper execution."  
  
"No, Viru," snapped the ex-mercenary. "I will not chop his head off like some lowly butcher. I will fight him, as one man fights another. You promised a fight, and you will let me have what is due."  
  
"In all foolishness, Ceifeiro, do you really think you can best him?" challenged Viru, narrowing his eyes at his hired fighter. "Ganondorf, the Evil King, could not even best him."  
  
"You did not hire me because you thought I was weak. I say I will fight Link, and I will win," replied the young man haughtily. "He may be Hyrule's kei, but I am Ceifeiro, and I reap my foes." [Author's Note: Kei is "hero" in Dinesenese, and lei is "heroine." Just thought you'd like to know.]  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
The Great Hall was littered with Tophetian guards, but the total head count was less than twenty.  
  
`Maybe I can get away with it,' she thought, looking across the vast hall towards the other side. [From the entrance of the Great Hall, to the left were the guest chambers, and to the right were the royal chambers.] `But how? There's not many of them, but I stick out like a sore thumb.'  
  
[Use your mulciber...] A soft voice murmured in her mind. Miyako jerked and threw a quick glance over her shoulder. Had someone said that aloud?  
  
`Use my fire...' She scanned the Great Hall for something that would burn very well and attract the soldiers' attention. Then the red-haired Kreyan spotted a row of the large benches the Selintan guards had dragged in earlier that day. Several Tophetians were lounging on them. `Those will do nicely.' Miyako stared at the wooden benches, asking them to give in to her fire. The benches went willingly, and soon were merrily ablaze.  
  
"What in hellfire?" shouted one of the soldiers, leaping off the bench with a started yelp. Almost at once all the other soldiers had gathered around, beating at the flames. Miyako took a deep breath and sprinted across the back wall of the Great Hall. No one noticed her.  
  
She saw the Master Sword lying, as though forgotten, on the marble floor near Queen Eloisa's chambers. Throwing a swift glance in all directions, she crouched down and tentatively reached out to touch it. Legend had it that only the Chosen One could bear the sword. Evil ones could not use the blade, nor could ones not worthy. Miyako wondered if she was one of the latter as her hand grasped the hilt.  
  
The balance of the Master Sword was perfect, even for a girl like herself who couldn't handle them. She made an appreciative murmur as she tilted it upward to catch the light from the flambeaus. Miyako could almost feel the raw power of the energies residing within the sacred blade; the bones in her hand began to ache slightly.  
  
`Maybe I'm worthy, but that still doesn't mean I can hold it for long,' she thought, wincing at the ringing in her arm. `I've got to find--'  
  
`Who's there?' A voice accused. Miyako jumped and spun around, but no one had found her still. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest and she took a deep breath. `I heard you!' The voice... was familiar...  
  
`...Link?' A surprised silence, then suspiciously:  
  
`...Miyako?' Relief swept through her.  
  
`Yes, it's me! I found your sword, and I picked it up. Is this normal?'  
  
`I wouldn't know, I've never let anyone hold or even touch it before. I was afraid it might... you know, strike them dead or something.'  
  
`Well,' she thought, smiling, `I'm still here, even if the power of this blade's aching my arm. How do you stand to hold it?'  
  
`It's never hurt my arm before,' he replied, sounding a little baffled. `I was sitting here, and then suddenly I hear a voice talking in my head, about not being worthy or something.'  
  
`Where are you? Where's Lance? I can't stand around here for long,' she thought anxiously, creeping further away from the Great Hall.  
  
`Ceifeiro took me into this small cell in the inner castle grounds. It's outside the portcullis,' Link said helpfully. `Lance... he.... he felt something calling him, so he left.' That stopped her.  
  
`And you let him?!'  
  
`Well...' Miyako shook her head.  
  
`Never mind. The point is, I've got to find you before they find me. And it's easier for them, because they've got more people on the prowl. Now, where are you again?'  
  
`Outside the castle, there's a small door to the far left of the portcullis. Behind the door there's a small staircase leading down. I'm in here.'  
  
`How in Nayru's name am I going to get out there unnoticed?' She thought to herself, turning around and heading back to the Great Hall. The red-haired Kreyan could still hear the sounds of soldiers shouting. Apparently, they hadn't put the flames out yet. `...I don't think there's anything left to burn...'  
  
`Wait a minute!' Link thought, slapping his forehead and wincing. `Fuck, I completely forgot!'  
  
`What?'  
  
`My gauntlets! Ceifeiro didn't bother to take my gauntlets. Argh!' Miyako put a hand to her mouth to cover a smile, although there was no one to hide a smile from. `Never mind... meet me in the Great Hall. I'll be there in a few minutes.'  
  
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Link could have kicked himself had he the time, but now he had to hurry. Besides, there would always be later to beat himself up. Working quickly, he grappled the steadfast iron bars and tugged them apart. They bent like soft cheese under the influence of his gauntlets, and the blonde Hylian managed to squeeze through the small gap.  
  
`Link?' Miyako again, this time she sounded frightened.  
  
`What?'  
  
`They... they... King... I mean... the.... there's... La...' Her voice stopped suddenly.  
  
`What is it?' He asked, vaulting up the stairs three at a time. `What's going on?' There was no reply.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Lance struggled angrily against the grips of the Tophetian soldiers who were dragging him into the Throne Room. He cursed them colorfully in Kreyan and in common tongue as he fought to free himself.  
  
"Stoppit, d'you hear me?" snapped one of the soldiers, whacking him over the head with his spearbutt. "Else it'll go worse for you!" Blood trickled into his eye from a light gash on his forehead, and the sailor winced, but stopped struggling.  
  
"What is this?" King Viru asked, standing up and looking down at the dark-blue-haired Kreyan as they threw him onto the floor in front of the throne. "He's not one of the castle workers, is he?"  
  
"No, sire, we found him climbing over the east wall," one of the soldiers replied nervously, bowing so deeply he nearly fell over.  
  
"You, what is your name?" He prodded Lance with his foot. The sailor lashed out with a dagger that had been concealed in his boot and stabbed Viru fiercely in the leg.  
  
"That's none of your business, you craven cur!" The King of Tophet grunted as he tugged the knife out of his leg and smarted kicked Lance in the chest with his uninjured one.  
  
"Stupid fool! You'll die before your precious Hero of Time! Guards!"  
  
"Stop!" Miyako shouted, wielding the Master Sword at the far end of the throne room. "If you kill him, you're next, Viru!"  
  
"What's this, a little lei?" Ceifeiro chuckled, both eyebrows raised. "My, King Viru, you know how to conquer a castle and its people." The king glared venomously at the ex-mercenary, who was chortling silently to himself.  
  
"Put down that sword, little girl, and maybe I won't make your death painful," growled Viru, his right hand reaching for his own blade. She didn't wait for him to say more; darting forward, she weaved past the guards to attack the King of Tophet. He barely managed to draw his machete before she was swinging at him.  
  
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Ah.... FF.net seems to be ignoring the extra spaces I put in between new paragraphs, so lines must suffice. Please review, and thank you to those who have reviewed recently. Your comments are much appreciated, especially after a rotten time at school. But you know... there's nothing quite like a few good Styx songs after a bad day. ;D  
  
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A further note; there are only two more chapters after this, for Part One. Sometime tomorrow (February 8th), expect to find the prologue for Part Two up. ^_~ 


	35. Black Blade, Silver Sword

Chapter Thirty-Four  
  
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Link felt soiled to be using a blade other than the Master Sword, but it was all he had. He wiped it off on the fallen soldier's body. Apparent, the Tophetians had the blessing of numbers, but not skill. The Hero of Time could feel danger pulsing in his mind like a cancerous disease, but he could not afford to go charging into the Great Hall unless he knew what he was about, and he didn't. Link peered around the corner of the hallway and drew back swiftly. There were several Tophetian soldiers cleaning up the remains of the burnt benches, but nothing more. He risked another look and saw Miyako charging wildly into the Throne Room. He tried calling her with his mind, but the Master Sword's power was throbbing, an infected wound of agony, as it usually did around great evil, and everything in his mind seemed jumbled.  
  
"Fuck," Link muttered, steadying himself to dash around the corner past the Tophetian guards. He pushed off the wall and darted around the corner, brandishing the sword. The soldiers saw him and reacted swiftly. It seemed there would be a fight.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
It was obvious she was going to lose, but one had to admire her courage. Viru countered every single slash and thrust grimly, though inwardly he was all but crowing with delight. Already he could see that she was tiring quickly, each attack weaker than the last, and each block more forced. With a decisive knock he forced the Master Sword from her hands and raised his sword point up, hovering close to her neck.  
  
"Do you renege?" asked the king, allowing himself a small smile.  
  
"No, ol shroun, I don't," she whispered, and threw herself back just as he slashed quickly. She fumbled for the Master Sword but a Tophetian guard kicked it out of the way. "Aiy!" She scrambled away as Viru cleaved down with his blackened sword. Several Tophetian guards restrained lance, though they could barely hold him down.  
  
Ceifeiro watched with half-closed eyes, waiting for a chance. He fingered the minute dagger strapped to his leg.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
It was but the work of a few short minutes, but Link easily defeated the Tophetian soldiers, despite having such a weak weapon to battle with. Not bothering to wipe his dripping blade, he charged straight to the Throne Room.  
  
Just as he entered, Link saw Ceifeiro stand up at the council's table and sling something forward. A second after this motion, Miyako staggered, clutching at her collarbone, where neck meets shoulder. Viru lashed forward, but she stumbled back in time to avoid it.  
  
The Master Sword called to him in its confused voice, letting him know exactly where it was. He flew towards it and dived into a roll as a Tophetian soldier swung at him. Snatching it up, Link leapt to his feet and spun around, cutting the soldier in half before he could scream.  
  
"You!" King Viru snarled, suddenly changing direction of attacks. In a few short moments the Throne Room became a war zone as Lance broke free and Ceifeiro drew his sword, the Tophetian soldiers scattering about. Queen Eloisa uttered a little scream and cowered in the corner. But Link focused only on Viru.  
  
"This is my fight, Viru!" Ceifeiro shouted angrily, running over to them. "I will not let you take my satisfaction away!"  
  
"Shut up!" Viru snapped, turning and slashing quickly at the Dinesenese fighter. He staggered, clutching at a deep chest wound, then disappeared in a flash of light, cursing in a foreign language. The King of Tophet turned back to face Link, but the Hero of Time was nowhere in sight.  
  
Suddenly, a flash from his left and they were fighting. Sparks flew from silver and black glittering blades, the combatants locked in a struggle for life and victory. A frosty cloak of stillness enveloped Link, and his mind was blank save for one thing; to kill King Viru. He forced Viru to give up ground, they traveled slowly but steadily across the Throne Room, the sword singing and shrieking as they crashed mightily against each other.  
  
Link thrust, stabbed, sliced, and slashed, forcing Viru to take up defense. The king knew he would not win by merely blocking, but this hellish Hylian before him spared him no time for countering. Viru's hands sang in with agony as each strike shocked him deep in his bones.  
  
"Curse you," he panted under his breath, stumbling slightly over a fallen Tophetian, his black sword faltering minutely. "I should've executed you when I had the chance!"  
  
"Too late now," Link retorted calmly, leaping forward and forcing Viru's black blade down with his silver sword. He kicked sharply and caught his enemy on his injured leg. The King of Tophet collapsed to the floor, but rolled out of the way of his downward slash. Viru scrabbled to his feet and spun around, his sword whirring dangerously about him.  
  
The Hero of time hopped back nimbly, almost unconcerned in his fluid movements. Each of Viru's assaults was blocked smartly, and the king began to tire. Surely, so was his opponent!  
  
Viru shook his free hand and a dagger slid into his palm. He feinted a high strike, and as the blonde Hylian brought his sword up to block, the king thrust forward with his dagger. He swore softly when the blade only skimmed Link's side, for the nineteen-year-old twisted his body to the right when he saw Viru's other hand move. Viru snarled again and brought his machete to crash down on his enemy's head.  
  
Link brought the Master Sword up to block, and the tip of Viru's machete shattered against the steel of time. The king gaped for a mere second, but a second was all Link needed. With a deft flick of his wrist, Viru's head parted ways with his body forever.  
  
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Upon seeing their king beheaded most unfashionably, the fight went out of the Tophetians, and they scrambled to exit the Throne Room. Lance glared around ferociously, waving the sword of a fallen soldier at them. Miyako closed her eyes and pawed the wound at her neck. Had it been higher... She didn't want to think about that, and left the tiny dagger in her flesh. It would block some bleeding, though it hurt like fury.  
  
Link made as if to sheath his sword, then remembered his sheath was somewhere on the castle grounds, and simply held on to it. He strode over to the red-haired Kreyan and crouched down.  
  
"Are you all right?" His voice was soft, but his eyes were worried.  
  
"I'm fine," she whispered. It was difficult to speak. He nodded, his gaze lingering on the wound, and stood up.  
  
"Lance, take care of Queen Eloisa. Free the guards in the dungeons and tell them to search the castle thoroughly for any remaining Tophetians." Link held his free hand out to Miyako. "You're coming with me."  
  
"And where are we going?" Her curiosity was stronger than her pain, it seemed, as she took his hand. Link lifted her up effortlessly.  
  
"To find you a medico." He raised his eyebrows at her. "Or did you plan on leaving that in there as a souvenir?"  
  
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SORRY! _ I promised daily updates, and what happens? I don't update. -_-; I'm so sorry. It's not my fault; FF.Net has been EXTREMELY poopy for me these past several days... So here's the chapter, fairly short, but now... now the Prologue for Part Two is up. *grins happily* So check that out, it's called The Legends of Link, Part Two: The Temple of Life. The prologue gives away nothing about story, but some history behind the events that are talked about a few times in this one. Bwahahaha.  
  
By the by... you didn't really think I would kill Miyako, did you? ....All right, so originally she was going to die, and no doubt that would have made Link/Zelda shippers very, very happy, but alas she lives. ^_^ Please review! I know this chapter is short, but there's only one more chapter after this. 


	36. After the Fall

Chapter Thirty-Five  
  
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General Torris returned the next day, and cursed himself for not listening to his inner voice. He was forgiven, though, when his troops flushed out over a hundred Tophetians hiding in the guest chambers all over the castle. The elderly Selintan grasped Link's hand and shook it fervently.  
  
"Link, Selinta and her people are forever in your debt for what you've done! This war is over, but the battles aren't. I wager we'll still be fighting the Tophetians long into the years. Yet we've no need of your services anymore. This is far more than we had wanted you to do."  
  
"Thank you, general," the Hero of Time replied with uncertainty. He was still unused to accepting praise freely.  
  
"I'm sure King Edward will be returning victorious, as he is nearly as passionate about fighting as you are. My subordinate officer has sent a messenger bird to Hyrule, telling them of this victory. We will have quite the celebration when King Chandler and Princess Zelda arrive. Please, take this time to rest and recuperate. My troops have already begun rebuilding the town. It seems that not all of the people were slain; many, actually, made it to safety."  
  
"That's good to hear. When will they be here?" Link asked, following the general into the sunny courtyard.  
  
"Given the time it takes for the bird to arrive, and for them to pack and sail here, I should say perhaps two or three weeks. But you and your friends must rest. Take this time to relax." The general nodded his head and smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a city to rebuild."  
  
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Zelda sat in her garden, gazing up at the cerulean sky. It was a lovely day, and she had had plenty of restful sleep the night before. No dreams of bathing in blood, and no grief at setting her heart past Link.  
  
"Greetings, princess," a gruff, bass voice hailed. The blonde monarch looked up to see Darunia approaching her in the garden.  
  
"Thank you, Darunia," she acknowledged, indicating that the mighty Goron should have a seat. "How are the Gorons? And your son?"  
  
"Our city is flourishing, and Link is as adventurous as his namesake." The mountain creature chuckled at the thought of his son's antics. "Why, yesterday I had to stop him from tacklin' the Lizalfos in Dodongo's Cavern. He's still got a lot of growing up to do, but when he does, oh ho, look out, evil-doers." They shared a friendly laugh. "Well, what news of our hero in Selinta?"  
  
"Oh... we've not heard from them yet." She looked down at her hands. The Sage of Fire nodded quietly.  
  
"Don't worry, Link's a strong man, he can take care of himself and everyone around him. I heard..." Darunia hesitated. "I heard that you two will not be wed." Zelda closed her eyes and shook her head.  
  
"No, we will not." The Goron sat in silence, frowning in thought, then smiled.  
  
"Don't worry, Zelda, I'm sure you'll find your happiness. The goddesses meant for everyone to find their happiness, one way or another."  
  
"Thank you," she murmured. The Sage of Fire pattered her hand gently. Before she could speak again, a guard was running willy-nilly towards them.  
  
"Princess Zelda! Princess!" Both sages stood up, looks of concern on their faces. "We've news from Selinta!"  
  
"Oh! What is it?" The guard paused for a moment to catch his breath.  
  
"The king says they've won! Link slew King Viru, and they've called for you and your father to go to Castle Dythia for a great celebration!" Zelda clasped her hands in relief and Darunia thumped himself on his chest, hooting with excitement.  
  
"Wayhey!" He lifted Zelda clear off the ground and spun her around wildly, both of them laughing. "I knew Link could do it!"  
  
"When are we to leave?" asked the princess breathlessly when Darunia had set her down again. The guard grinned happily.  
  
"As soon as you're ready, Your Highness."  
  
"Then we leave today! Tell Impa to meet me in my chambers! I'll pack now, tell my father to hurry!" Zelda fled towards the castle, laughing happily. The guard turned to Darunia, but the Sage of Fire disappeared in an explosion of red.  
  
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Link lounged in Castle Dythia's garden, enjoying the sunshine as much as possible. The day was made even better when Miyako joined him.  
  
"You're looking better," he remarked as she stood above him, looking down. She gave him a quick smile and seat herself beside him. "...It doesn't seem like it's been a week, does it?"  
  
"No, it doesn't," she agreed, gazing across the pond. "I was looking out my chamber window, and I saw the city. General Torris' troops, they work so fast. In a few months, it'll be hard to believe the city ever burned to the ground."  
  
"Aye." That syllable made her grin. "So... you've plans to go to the Temple of Life?"  
  
"That I do," Miyako replied, picking at a blade of grass. "I still need to talk to King Edward about arranging a ship. I hope it won't be too much trouble; there's not many ships that can make it through the waters around the Island of Light." He reached out and held her hand with his.  
  
"I'm sure he can convince a captain to take us there," he replied softly. "Perhaps Lance's father will." She smiled at that.  
  
"It's been so long since I've seen that old waterdog! Tell me, is he still just as big and craggy as a mountain?"  
  
"He is," laughed Link. "Listen..." Miyako turned her body to face him. "I've never felt this way about anybody before, and--"  
  
"Oh, hush," she muttered, putting her free hand to her face and flushing. Link shook his head.  
  
"No, let me say this. When I was... attracted to Princess Zelda, I didn't feel this way. I never believed in love at first sight, and I still don't, but I think I believe in true love now. I saw you dash into the Throne Room, and Lance told me how you fought Viru, and I think that made me love you a little more. I don't want to have to play the hero around you, and now I know I don't have to. Now I can finally do what I've wanted to do; travel and see the world. I don't have to worry about leaving you behind, because... you'll be with me."  
  
"I'm glad for you, Link, and for me, but it's not always going to be travels and adventures. One day, we'll be old and toothless, and the only fantastic trips we'll be making will be to the privy." He laughed quietly.  
  
"I know that. I don't plan on wandering forever. Didn't I tell you? I've always wanted to be a blacksmith or a silversmith in a small town, maybe raise a family... But right now, I want to see more of the world. There's still evil, and there's still a need for heroes. I may not like what I am, but I've accepted it. In time, I think I'll learn to love it. I know I love fighting already, that much is true... But it's like you said, we can't give up the violence and adventure. It's too much temptation." Link reached up and touched the side of her face.  
  
"You know, from the way Lance talked about you while we were in the sick bay, about just before you came here, it's like he's talking about two people."  
  
"How?"  
  
"He said you never talked much, and you didn't make much for jokes. I think I like the new Link better. He's more... complete."  
  
"That's because he is," the Hero of Time laughed, taking her hand and placing a kiss on it. "He's much happier now that he's got good friends and a sense of belonging."  
  
"And Miyako is happy because she doesn't have to go to the Temple of Life alone. She likes the idea of having a companion along with her adventures."  
  
"You mean Link's adventures," Link corrected.  
  
"No, this story is about Miyako, didn't you know that?" Miyako winked at him. "Why, she's the most important character."  
  
"You must have had your brains rattled, girl, Link is the most important character in this narrative," chuckled the nineteen-year-old, sitting up and pulling her closer.  
  
"All right, I renege," she breathed as he kissed her neck, his hands lingering dangerously near her waist. "But only because I don't want to crush your ego with the truth."  
  
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Lance sat alone in his chambers, brooding. This... "seriousness" business was a lot harder and lonelier than he'd thought. No wonder Link changed from brooding hero to carefree spirit; it was an unpleasant and unhappy affair. Never in his life had he spent so much time thinking about things. He was more apt to go out and do them. But... the sailor didn't want to shatter the peace that the three of them found at the castle. Sure, and it would be shattered when Miyako got restless enough to continue heading to the Temple of Life, but that wouldn't happen until after the celebration.  
  
Saving the Aquarians, however... was an entirely different matter. And so was him being related to royalty. He now recognized the sigil on the medallion; it was the sign of sovereignty, the sea with the moon above it. He put it away and sighed, resting his head in his hands.  
  
No doubt he would have to tell Link about Kellen's death, but his friend seemed to have forgotten about his little expedition out of the castle, and Lance didn't want to remind him. He still needed to think about it, and what his mother hadn't told him.  
  
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That night, the dreams began for Miyako.  
  
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She walked through the crumbled hallway, picking around stone and marble carefully. Tendrils and vines of plants curled and hung about the narrow corridor. She could feel the evil radiating from the center of the temple, like heat from a fire, spreading outwards and corrupting everyone that didn't know of it.  
  
Miyako approached the Sacred Altar Room. She didn't know how she knew this, or why, but only that she did, and that was all that mattered. A dark figure bathed in purple light stood in the center, over a fallen, bloody body.  
  
He pointed at her, marking her, and laughed cruelly. She looked at the body. Link's sightless eyes gazed back at her, an mixed expression of shock and accusation in his slack face. She brought her hands to her mouth to scream, and the evil presence laughed again.  
  
A thick, clawed appendage shot from the ground beneath her, grasping around for a handhold. The stone floor deteriorated, giving way to a creature that looked like neither creature nor man, but a little of both. Dark gray eyes studied her, and a voice whispered  
  
-- Grineth, Ganondorf --  
  
and she was screaming again, as the claws shot out and grabbed her. Five figures stood in the background, their voices lost in her screams, but she could make out one word  
  
"--Lilliath--"  
  
before she woke up.  
  
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End of Part One  
  
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Yahoo! Part One is finé, kaput, over with, finished. For credits, thank yous, references, etc., check out the Author's Notes after this chapter. Bwahaha. Or, skipping that, head directly to The Legends of Link, Part Two: The Temple of Life. ^_^ The choice is yours, Faithful Reader. 


	37. Afterword(s)...

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Author's Notes  
  
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First off, I would like to thank Stephen King, because he is my inspiration, and I love everything I've read by him (which is quite a lot, but not everything). I wish he wasn't retiring. ;_; *sniffle* Secondly, I would like to thank all of you fans for reviewing and letting me know your thoughts on how the story is. You've done your job well. ^_^ Third, my friend, Sailoreagle, for helping me a bit with Latin. All the Latin I got was taken from this lovely site (http://www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm). For everything right, thank my friend and that site. For everything wrong, blame me.  
  
Next, Dr Pepper, for being THE choicest intake of caffeine EVER. Yes!  
  
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Copyrights, References, and Music, oh my!  
  
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Chapter Four: Something Fell Apart : The title of this chapter is a lyric from a song called "Snowing" by an MP3.com artist called Color Theory. Do check out their work at www.mp3.com/colortheory (I think)  
  
Chapter 6, 7, and 8: All of these chapter names are song titles. "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" by R.E.M., "Heavy Water" by Styx, and "Man Overboard" by Blink 182, though the chapter titles don't really have much to do with the actual chapters, it's still a good idea to note it here anyway.  
  
Chapter 27: Pandemonium: Also a song. Lovely piece of work by Kooz, at www.mp3.com/kooz  
  
For the record again, The Legend of Zelda and its respective characters and places are copyright Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto (Pikmin!), not me, but all original characters, places, and ideas are copyrighted by me. Especially Lance. You can't have my baby! *hugs Lance plushie*  
  
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Some More Author's Notes.... Ho-Hum....  
  
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IIRC, Ceifeiro is actually Portuguese for "the reaper," though it may or may not be used in a religious context. I originally found this name in a book called The Speaker of the Dead, by Orson Scott Card. The Ender series is so lovely. ^_^  
  
Some parts of Miyako's characteristics are fashioned after me, such as her somewhat defiant but not wildly feministic attitude, her vocabulary (especially incorrigible), and some other stuff. I hope that's not narcissistic, but what can you do.  
  
The name of the country, Selinta sounds very close to the Latin word, Cerintha, for flower, but actually, I had come up with Selinta before adding the whole Latin aspect to the story. Coincidence... or not? Hmm...  
  
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Author's Name: What in the world is a Shiniki Wyrd?  
  
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Originally... Shiniki Wyrd was the capital of Lythvia, a country directly west of Kreya in my fanfic. However... it became an actual name when my dear friend, Gen-chan, wanted a name for *her* main character in a webcomic idea that she was toying with. At the time, I was working on a map for my fanfic (lame, but true) and I saw that, and told her to use that name. She immediately liked it and used it, and ever since, it's been a name. Unfortunately, her webcomic idea didn't pull through completely. Now, the capital of Lythvia is Kling Kilin (an even lamer name!) and I hold the penname Shiniki Wyrd, or just "Shinky."  
  
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She's Done? I thought she'd never finish!  
  
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Well, that's all. I've said m'piece and `tis time to depart. Until next time, Faithful Reader.... 


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